Magnetic tape device

ABSTRACT

A magnetic tape device. The angle θ formed by the axis of the element array of the magnetic head with respect to a width direction of the magnetic tape is changed during running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device. The magnetic tape satisfies Equation 1: TDSage+TDSenv−TC≤0.10 μm. In Equation 1, the TDSage is a maximum value of an absolute value of a difference between a servo band spacing obtained before storage for 24 hours in a predetermined environment and a servo band spacing obtained after the storage. TDSenv is a value calculated by multiplying a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of servo band spacings obtained in each of five predetermined environments by ½, and TC is a value calculated by TC=L{cos (θinitial−Δθ)−cos (θinitial+Δθ)}.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-121711 filed on Jul. 26, 2021. The above application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic tape device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Magnetic recording media are divided into tape-shaped magnetic recording media and disk-shaped magnetic recording media, and tape-shaped magnetic recording media, that is, magnetic tapes are mainly used for data storage such as data back-up or archives (for example, see JP2016-524774A and US2019/0164573A1).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The recording of data on a magnetic tape is normally performed by causing the magnetic tape to run in a magnetic tape device and causing a magnetic head to follow a data band of the magnetic tape to record data on the data band. Accordingly, a data track is formed on the data band. In addition, in a case of reproducing the recorded data, the magnetic tape is caused to run in the magnetic tape device and the magnetic head is caused to follow the data band of the magnetic tape, thereby reading data recorded on the data band.

In order to increase an accuracy with which the magnetic head follows the data band of the magnetic tape in the recording and/or the reproducing, a system that performs head tracking using a servo signal (hereinafter, referred to as a “servo system”) is practiced.

In addition, it is proposed that dimensional information of a magnetic tape during running in a width direction (contraction, expansion, or the like) is obtained and an angle for tilting an axial direction of a module of a magnetic head with respect to the width direction of the magnetic tape (hereinafter, also referred to as a “head tilt angle”) is changed (see JP6590102B and US2019/0164573A1, for example, paragraphs 0059 to 0067 and paragraph 0084 of JP6590102B). During the recording or the reproducing, in a case where the magnetic head for recording or reproducing data records or reproduces data while being deviated from a target track position due to width deformation of the magnetic tape, phenomenons such as overwriting on recorded data, reproducing failure, and the like may occur. The present inventors consider that changing the head tilt angle as described above is one of a unit for suppressing the occurrence of such a phenomenon.

In view of the above, an object of an aspect of the invention is to provide a magnetic tape device capable of performing recording and/or reproducing in an excellent manner during recording and/or reproducing of data by changing a head tilt angle during running of a magnetic tape.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic tape device comprising:

-   -   a magnetic tape; and a magnetic head,     -   in which the magnetic head includes a module including an         element array including a plurality of magnetic head elements         between a pair of servo signal reading elements,     -   the magnetic tape device changes an angle θ formed by an axis of         the element array with respect to a width direction of the         magnetic tape during running of the magnetic tape in the         magnetic tape device,     -   the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a         magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder,     -   the magnetic layer includes a plurality of servo bands,     -   Equation 1 below is satisfied,         TDSage+TDSenv−TC≤0.10 μm,  (Equation 1)     -   in Equation 1,     -   the TDSage is a maximum value of an absolute value of a         difference between a servo band spacing obtained before storage         for 24 hours in an environment of a temperature 60° C. and         relative humidity of 20% and a servo band spacing obtained after         the storage, and a unit is μm,     -   the TDSenv is a value calculated by multiplying a difference         between a maximum value and a minimum value of servo band         spacings obtained in each of the following five environments of     -   a temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 20%,     -   a temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 80%,     -   a temperature of 26° C. and relative humidity of 80%,     -   a temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 20%, and     -   a temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 55%,     -   by ½, and a unit is μm, and     -   the TC is a value calculated by         TC=L{cos(θ_(initial)−Δθ)−cos(θ_(initial)+Δθ)},     -   a unit is μm,     -   the L is a distance between the pair of servo signal reading         elements and the unit is μm, and     -   in a case where the angle θ at start of the running of the         magnetic tape is defined as θ_(initial),     -   a maximum value of the angle θ during the running of the         magnetic tape is defined as θ_(max), and a minimum value thereof         is defined as θ_(min), and     -   the Δθ is a greater value between values calculated by         Δθ_(max)=θ_(max)−θ_(initial) and         Δθ_(min)=θ_(initial)−θ_(min).

In one embodiment, the θ_(initial) may be 1.000° or more and 45.000° or less.

In one embodiment, the Δθ may be more than 0.000° and 1.000° or less.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape device changes the angle θ formed by the axis of the element array with respect to the width direction of the magnetic tape during the running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device according to dimensional information of the magnetic tape in the width direction obtained during the running.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape may have a tape thickness of 5.6 θm or less.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape may have a tape thickness of 5.3 θm or less.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape may further include a non-magnetic layer including a non-magnetic powder between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape may include a back coating layer containing a non-magnetic powder on a surface side of the non-magnetic support opposite to a surface side provided with the magnetic layer.

In one embodiment, the non-magnetic support may be an aromatic polyester support.

In one embodiment, the aromatic polyester support may be a polyethylene terephthalate support.

In one embodiment, the aromatic polyester support may be a polyethylene naphthalate support.

In one embodiment, a vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape may be 0.60 or more.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, it is possible to provided a magnetic tape device capable of performing recording and/or reproducing in an excellent manner during recording and/or reproducing of data by changing a head tilt angle during running of a magnetic tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a module of a magnetic head.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a relative positional relationship between a module and a magnetic tape during running of the magnetic tape in a magnetic tape device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a change in angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a method for measuring the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of the magnetic tape device.

FIG. 6 shows an example of disposition of data bands and servo bands.

FIG. 7 shows a servo pattern disposition example of a linear tape-open (LTO) Ultrium format tape.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One aspect of the invention relates to a magnetic tape device including a magnetic tape and a magnetic head.

Magnetic Tape

A magnetic tape included in the magnetic tape device is a magnetic tape which includes a non-magnetic support and a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder, in which the magnetic layer includes a plurality of servo bands and Equation 1 is satisfied.

The present inventor conducted research to obtain the magnetic tape capable of performing recording and/or reproducing of data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape, and found that dimensional stability of the magnetic tape (tape dimensional stability) can be changed by a change of a measurement environment. As a result of more intensive studies, the inventors found that the dimensional stability of the magnetic tape measured in various environments in which the magnetic tape can be placed during the usage and/or during the storage is used as an indicator. This indicator is the TDSage and TDS env. “TDS” is an abbreviation for “Tape Dimensional Stability” and “age” is an abbreviation for long-term storage. In addition, “env” is an abbreviation for “environment”. The present inventors consider that “TDSage” in Equation 1 is a value obtained by a method which will be described later and can be an index of a change amount of the servo band spacing due to the long-term storage. In addition, the present inventors consider that “TDSenv” is a value obtained by a method which will be described later and can be an index of a change amount of the servo band spacing due to the use environment. In addition, regarding “TC” obtained by a method which will be described later, the present inventors consider that “TC” can be an indicator of a track position deviation amount allowed in a case of performing recording and/or reproducing of data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape. As a result of the intensive studies, the present inventors newly found that, in a case where the magnetic tape included in the magnetic tape device is a magnetic tape in which “TDSage”, “TDSenv”, and “TC” satisfy Equation 1, it is possible to perform recording and/or reproducing in an excellent manner, in a case of performing the recording and/or reproducing of data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape. For example, the inventors newly found that the magnetic tape satisfying Equation 1 can perform recording and/or reproducing in an excellent manner during recording and/or reproducing of data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape after the long-term storage.

Hereinafter, the magnetic tape will be described more specifically.

Method for Measuring TDSage

-   -   TDSage is obtained by the following method.     -   The magnetic tape cartridge accommodating a magnetic tape to be         measured is placed in an environment of an atmosphere         temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% for 5 days         in order to make the magnetic tape familiar with the environment         for measurement.     -   After that, in the measurement environment, in a magnetic tape         device including a tension adjusting mechanism for applying a         tension in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, the         magnetic tape is allowed to run in a state where a tension of         0.7 N is applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic         tape. For such running, the spacing between two servo bands         adjacent to each other with a data band interposed therebetween         is measured at spacing of 1 m over the entire length of the         magnetic tape. A region interposed between two adjacent servo         bands is called a data band. In the measurement for obtaining         TDSage and TDSenv described in the invention and the         specification, a value of the tension applied in the         longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape is a set value set         in the magnetic tape device. In addition, in the invention and         the specification, to describe “measurement at spacing of 1 m”,         in a measurement target region having a length of L meters (m),         in a case where a length of a position of one end of the         measurement target region is set to 0 m and a length of each         position in a direction facing the other end is set to 1 m, 2 m,         3 m, . . . , and a length of a position of the other end is set         to L m, an initial measurement position is a position of 1 m and         a final measurement position is one position before the position         of L m. In addition, in a case where there are a plurality of         servo band spacings, the servo band spacing is measured in the         same manner for all servo band spacings. The servo band spacing         measured in this way is referred to as a “servo band spacing         before storage” at each measurement position.     -   After that, the magnetic tape cartridge is stored for 24 hours         in a storage environment of an atmosphere temperature of 60° C.         and a relative humidity of 20%. The inventors have surmised that         this storage can correspond to long-term storage for about 10         years in an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 32° C.         and a relative humidity of 55%.     -   After the storage, after the magnetic tape cartridge is left in         the measurement environment of an atmosphere temperature of         23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% for 5 days, in the same         measurement environment, in a magnetic tape device including a         tension adjusting mechanism for applying a tension in the         longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, the magnetic tape         is allowed to run in a state where a tension of 0.7 N is applied         in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. For such         running, the servo band spacing is measured in the same manner         as in the method described above. The servo band spacing         measured in this way is referred to as a “servo band spacing         after storage” at each measurement position.     -   For the all servo band spacing, a difference between the servo         band spacing before the storage and the servo band spacing after         the storage measured at spacing of 1 m is obtained. By doing so,         a plurality of difference values are obtained. A maximum value         of an absolute value of the obtained difference is defined as         the “TDSage” of the magnetic tape to be measured.     -   The spacing between two servo bands adjacent to each other with         the data band interposed therebetween can be obtained by using,         for example, a position error signal (PES) obtained from a servo         signal obtained by reading a servo pattern with a servo signal         reading element. For details, the description of examples which         will be described later can be referred to.

Method for Measuring TDSenv

-   -   TDSenv is obtained by the following method.     -   In each measurement environment, the magnetic tape cartridge         accommodating a magnetic tape to be measured is placed in the         measurement environment for 5 days in order to make the magnetic         tape familiar with the environment for measurement. The         measurement environments are the five environments described         above (that is, temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of         20%, temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 80%,         temperature of 26° C. and relative humidity of 80%, temperature         of 32° C. and relative humidity of 20%, and temperature of         32° C. and relative humidity of 55%).     -   After that, in the measurement environment, in a magnetic tape         device including a tension adjusting mechanism for applying a         tension in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, the         magnetic tape is allowed to run in a state where a tension of         0.7 N is applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic         tape. Regarding the magnetic tape, an end on a side wound around         a reel of the magnetic tape cartridge is referred to as an inner         end, an end on the opposite side thereof is referred to as an         outer end, the outer end is set to 0 m, and in a region of a         length of 0 m to 100 m (hereinafter, referred to as a “region         having a reel outer periphery of 100 m”), a servo band spacing         is measured at spacing of 1 m in a data band 0 (zero) in the         running at spacing of 1 m. The “data band 0” is a data band         defined by the standard as a data band in which data is first         embedded (recorded). An arithmetic mean of the measured servo         band spacings is the servo band spacing in the measurement         environment.     -   After obtaining the servo band spacing in each of the five         environments as described above, a value calculated as “(maximum         value−minimum value)×½” using the maximum value and the minimum         value among the obtained values is defined as “TDSenv” of the         magnetic tape to be measured.

A method for measuring TC will be described later.

Equation 1

-   -   Equation 1 is as follows.         TDSage+TDSenv−TC≤0.10 μm  (Equation 1)

The method for measuring “TDSage” and “TDSenv” for measuring the magnetic tape in order to obtain Equation 1 are as described above. In a case of obtaining these two values for the magnetic tape to be measured, the “TDSage” is first measured. After that, the measurement of “TDSenv” is performed.

The magnetic tape satisfies Equation 1. As a result of the intensive studies by the present inventors, it was newly found that the magnetic tape satisfying Equation 1 is a magnetic tape suitable for the magnetic tape device for performing the recording and/or reproducing the data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape. Specifically, the magnetic tape can contribute to recording and/or reproducing in an excellent manner during recording and/or reproducing of data by changing a head tilt angle during running of a magnetic tape after the long-term storage. From this point, a value on a left side of Equation 1 is 0.10 μm or less, preferably 0.08 μm or less, more preferably 0.05 μm or less, even more preferably 0.03 μm or less, and still preferably 0.01 μm or less. In one embodiment, the value on the left side of Equation 1 can be 0.00 μm and can also be 0.00 μm or more or more than 0.00 μm.

Regarding Equation 1, the value on the left side of Equation 1 can be adjusted according to, for example, a thickness of the magnetic tape, a strength of the non-magnetic support (for example, Young's modulus), a moisture content of the non-magnetic support, manufacturing conditions of the magnetic tape, and the like. Regarding this point, the description which will be described later can also be referred to.

The magnetic tape may satisfy Equation 1, and the values of TDSage, TDSenv and TC are not particularly limited.

In one embodiment, the TDSage can be 0.00 μm or more, more than 0.00 μm, 0.05 μm or more, 0.10 μm or more, or 0.30 μm or more, and can be 3.00 μm or less, 2.50 μm or less, 2.00 μm or less, or 1.50 μm or less. The TDSage can be adjusted, for example, according to the manufacturing conditions of the magnetic tape.

In one embodiment, the TDSenv can be 0.00 μm or more, more than 0.00 μm, 0.05 μm or more, or 0.10 μm or more, and can be 2.00 μm or less, 1.50 μm or less, or 1.00 μm or less. The TDSenv can be adjusted by, for example, the strength of the non-magnetic support (for example, Young's modulus), the moisture content of the non-magnetic support, and the like.

Non-Magnetic Support

As the non-magnetic support (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “support”), well-known components such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyamide imide, aromatic polyamide subjected to biaxial stretching are used. Among these, polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, are preferable.

In the one embodiment, the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape can be an aromatic polyester support. In the invention and the specification, “aromatic polyester” means a resin including an aromatic skeleton and a plurality of ester bonds, and the “aromatic polyester support” means a support including at least one layer of an aromatic polyester film. The “aromatic polyester film” is a film in which the largest component in the component configuring this film based on mass is aromatic polyester. The “aromatic polyester support” of the invention and the specification include a support in which all of resin films included in this support is the aromatic polyester film and a support including the aromatic polyester film and the other resin film. Specific examples of the aromatic polyester support include a single aromatic polyester film, a laminated film of two or more layers of the aromatic polyester film having the same constituting component, a laminated film of two or more layers of the aromatic polyester film having different constituting components, and a laminated film including one or more layers of the aromatic polyester film and one or more layers of resin film other than the aromatic polyester. In the laminated film, an adhesive layer or the like may be randomly included between two adhesive layers. In addition, the aromatic polyester support may randomly include a metal film and/or a metal oxide film formed by performing vapor deposition or the like on one or both surfaces. The same applies to a “polyethylene terephthalate support” and a “polyethylene naphthalate support” in the invention and the specification.

An aromatic ring included in an aromatic skeleton including the aromatic polyester is not particularly limited. Specific examples of the aromatic ring include a benzene ring and naphthalene ring.

For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is polyester including a benzene ring, and is a resin obtained by polycondensation of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid and/or dimethyl terephthalate. The “polyethylene terephthalate” of the invention and the specification includes polyethylene terephthalate having a structure including one or more kinds of other components (for example, copolymerization component, and component introduced to a terminal or a side chain), in addition to the component described above.

Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) is polyester including a naphthalene ring, and is a resin obtained by performing esterification reaction of dimethyl 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate and ethylene glycol, and then, transesterification and polycondensation reaction. The “polyethylene naphthalate” of the invention and the specification includes polyethylene naphthalate having a structure including one or more kinds of other components (for example, copolymerization component, and component introduced to a terminal or a side chain), in addition to the component described above.

In addition, the non-magnetic support can be a biaxial stretching film, and may be a film subjected to corona discharge, plasma treatment, easy adhesion treatment, or heat treatment.

As an indicator of physical properties of the non-magnetic support, for example, a moisture content can be used. In the invention and the specification, the moisture content of the non-magnetic support is a value obtained by the following method. The moisture content shown in the table which will be described later is a value obtained by the following method.

A test piece (for example, a test piece having a mass of several grams) cut out from the non-magnetic support, moisture content of which is to be measured, is dried in a vacuum dryer at a temperature of 180° C. and under a pressure of 100 Pa (pascal) or less until a constant weight is obtained. The mass of the dried test piece is defined as W1. W1 is a value measured in a measurement environment of a temperature of 23° C. and relative humidity of 50% within 30 seconds after being taken out of the vacuum dryer. Next, the mass of this test piece after being placed in an environment of a temperature of 25° C. and relative humidity of 75% for 48 hours is defined as W2. W2 is a value measured in a measurement environment of a temperature of 23° C. and relative humidity of 50% within 30 seconds after being taken out of the environment. The moisture content is calculated by the following equation. Moisture content(%)=[(W2−W1)/W1]×100

For example, it is also possible to obtain the moisture content of the non-magnetic support obtained by the method described above, after removing portions other than the non-magnetic support such as the magnetic layer from the magnetic tape by a well-known method (for example, film removal using an organic solvent).

In one embodiment, the moisture content of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape is preferably 1.0% or less, more preferably 0.8% or less, and even more preferably 0.6% or less. In addition, the moisture content of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape can be 0%, 0% or more, more than 0%, or 0.1% or more. By using the non-magnetic support having a low moisture content, the value of TDSenv tends to decrease.

As an indicator of physical properties of the non-magnetic support, for example, a Young's modulus can be used. The Young's modulus of the non-magnetic support in the present invention and the present specification is a value measured by the following method in a measurement environment of a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50%. The Young's modulus shown in the following table is a value obtained by the following method using TENSILON manufactured by Baldwin Corporation as a universal tensile testing device.

A test piece cut out from the non-magnetic support to be measured is pulled by a universal tensile testing device under the conditions of a chuck-to-chuck distance of 100 mm, a tensile rate of 10 mm/min, and a chart rate of 500 mm/min. As the universal tensile testing device, for example, a commercially available universal tensile testing device such as TENSILON manufactured by Baldwin Corporation or a universal tensile testing device having a well-known configuration can be used. The Young's moduli of the test piece in the longitudinal direction and the width direction are respectively calculated from a tangent line of a rising portion of a load-elongation curve obtained as described above. Here, the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the test piece mean a longitudinal direction and a width direction in a case where this test piece is included in the magnetic tape.

For example, it is also possible to obtain the Young's moduli of the non-magnetic support in the longitudinal direction and the width direction obtained by the method described above, after removing portions other than the non-magnetic support such as the magnetic layer from the magnetic tape by a well-known method (for example, film removal using an organic solvent).

In one embodiment, the Young's modulus in the longitudinal direction of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape is preferably 3,000 MPa or more, more preferably 4,000 MPa or more, and even more preferably 5,000 MPa or more. In addition, the Young's modulus of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape in the longitudinal direction can be 15000 MPa or less, 13000 MPa or less, 11000 MPa or less, or 9000 MPa or less. In a width direction, the Young's modulus in the width direction of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape is preferably 2,000 MPa or more, more preferably 3,000 MPa or more, and even more preferably 4,000 MPa or more. In addition, the Young's modulus of the non-magnetic support of the magnetic tape in the width direction can be 10000 MPa or less, 8000 MPa or less, or 6000 MPa or less. During manufacturing the magnetic tape, for the non-magnetic support, usually, a machine direction (MD direction) of a film is used as the longitudinal direction and a transverse direction (TD direction) is used as the width direction. In addition, in one embodiment, the Young's modulus in the longitudinal direction is preferably greater than the Young's modulus in the width direction, and a difference (Young's modulus in the longitudinal direction—Young's modulus in the width direction) is more preferably in the range of 800 to 3000 MPa.

The moisture content and the Young's modulus of the non-magnetic support can be controlled by a type and a mixing ratio of the components constituting the support, manufacturing conditions of the support, and the like. For example, in a biaxial stretching process, the Young's modulus in the longitudinal direction and the Young's modulus in the width direction can be controlled respectively by adjusting the stretching ratio in each direction.

Magnetic Layer

Ferromagnetic Powder

As the ferromagnetic powder included in the magnetic layer, a well-known ferromagnetic powder can be used as one kind or in combination of two or more kinds as the ferromagnetic powder used in the magnetic layer of various magnetic recording media. It is preferable to use a ferromagnetic powder having an average particle size as the ferromagnetic powder, from a viewpoint of improvement of a recording density. From this viewpoint, an average particle size of the ferromagnetic powder is preferably equal to or smaller than 50 nm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 45 nm, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 40 nm, further preferably equal to or smaller than 35 nm, further more preferably equal to or smaller than 30 nm, further even more preferably equal to or smaller than 25 nm, and still preferably equal to or smaller than 20 nm. Meanwhile, from a viewpoint of stability of magnetization, the average particle size of the ferromagnetic powder is preferably equal to or greater than 5 nm, more preferably equal to or greater than 8 nm, even more preferably equal to or greater than 10 nm, still preferably equal to or greater than 15 nm, and still more preferably equal to or greater than 20 nm.

Hexagonal Ferrite Powder

As a preferred specific example of the hexagonal ferrite powder and the ferromagnetic powder, a hexagonal ferrite powder can be used. For details of the hexagonal ferrite powder, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0012 to 0030 of JP2011-225417A, paragraphs 0134 to 0136 of JP2011-216149A, paragraphs 0013 to 0030 of JP2012-204726A, and paragraphs 0029 to 0084 of JP2015-127985A can be referred to, for example.

In the invention and the specification, the “hexagonal ferrite powder” is a ferromagnetic powder in which a hexagonal ferrite type crystal structure is detected as a main phase by X-ray diffraction analysis. The main phase is a structure to which a diffraction peak at the highest intensity in an X-ray diffraction spectrum obtained by the X-ray diffraction analysis belongs. For example, in a case where the diffraction peak at the highest intensity in the X-ray diffraction spectrum obtained by the X-ray diffraction analysis belongs to a hexagonal ferrite type crystal structure, it is determined that the hexagonal ferrite type crystal structure is detected as a main phase. In a case where only a single structure is detected by the X-ray diffraction analysis, this detected structure is set as a main phase. The hexagonal ferrite type crystal structure includes at least an iron atom, a divalent metal atom, and an oxygen atom as constituting atoms. A divalent metal atom is a metal atom which can be divalent cations as ions, and examples thereof include an alkali earth metal atom such as a strontium atom, a barium atom, or a calcium atom, and a lead atom. In the invention and the specification, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder is powder in which a main divalent metal atom included in this powder is a strontium atom, and the hexagonal barium ferrite powder is a powder in which a main divalent metal atom included in this powder is a barium atom. The main divalent metal atom is a divalent metal atom occupying the greatest content in the divalent metal atom included in the powder based on atom %. However, the divalent metal atom described above does not include rare earth atom. The “rare earth atom” of the invention and the specification is selected from the group consisting of a scandium atom (Sc), an yttrium atom (Y), and a lanthanoid atom. The lanthanoid atom is selected from the group consisting of a lanthanum atom (La), a cerium atom (Ce), a praseodymium atom (Pr), a neodymium atom (Nd), a promethium atom (Pm), a samarium atom (Sm), an europium atom (Eu), a gadolinium atom (Gd), a terbium atom (Tb), a dysprosium atom (Dy), a holmium atom (Ho), an erbium atom (Er), a thulium atom (Tm), an ytterbium atom (Yb), and a lutetium atom (Lu).

Hereinafter, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder which is one embodiment of the hexagonal ferrite powder will be described more specifically.

An activation volume of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder is preferably in a range of 800 to 1,600 nm³. The atomized hexagonal strontium ferrite powder showing the activation volume in the range described above is suitable for manufacturing a magnetic tape exhibiting excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics. The activation volume of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder is preferably equal to or greater than 800 nm³, and can also be, for example, equal to or greater than 850 nm³. In addition, from a viewpoint of further improving the electromagnetic conversion characteristics, the activation volume of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder is more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,500 nm³, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,400 nm³, still preferably equal to or smaller than 1,300 nm³, still more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,200 nm³, and still even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,100 nm³. The same applies to the activation volume of the hexagonal barium ferrite powder.

The “activation volume” is a unit of magnetization reversal and an index showing a magnetic magnitude of the particles. Regarding the activation volume and an anisotropy constant Ku which will be described later disclosed in the invention and the specification, magnetic field sweep rates of a coercivity Hc measurement part at time points of 3 minutes and 30 minutes are measured by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter (measurement temperature: 23° C.±1° C.), and the activation volume and the anisotropy constant Ku are values acquired from the following relational expression of Hc and an activation volume V. A unit of the anisotropy constant Ku is 1 erg/cc=1.0×10⁻¹ J/m³. Hc=2Ku/Ms{1−[(kT/KuV)ln(At/0.693)]^(1/2)}

[In the expression, Ku: anisotropy constant (unit: J/m³), Ms: saturation magnetization (unit: kA/m), k: Boltzmann's constant, T: absolute temperature (unit: K), V: activation volume (unit: cm³), A: spin precession frequency (unit: s⁻¹), and t: magnetic field reversal time (unit: s)]

The anisotropy constant Ku can be used as an index of reduction of thermal fluctuation, that is, improvement of thermal stability. The hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can preferably have Ku equal to or greater than 1.8×10⁵ J/m³, and more preferably have Ku equal to or greater than 2.0×10⁵ J/m³. In addition, Ku of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 2.5×10⁵ J/m³. However, the high Ku is preferable, because it means high thermal stability, and thus, Ku is not limited to the exemplified value.

The hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may or may not include the rare earth atom. In a case where the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder includes the rare earth atom, a content (bulk content) of the rare earth atom is preferably 0.5 to 5.0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom. In the one embodiment, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder including the rare earth atom can have a rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution. The “rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution” of the invention and the specification means that a content of rare earth atom with respect to 100 atom % of iron atom in a solution obtained by partially dissolving the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder with acid (hereinafter, referred to as a “rare earth atom surface layer portion content” or simply a “surface layer portion content” regarding the rare earth atom) and a content of rare earth atom with respect to 100 atom % of iron atom in a solution obtained by totally dissolving the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder with acid (hereinafter, referred to as a “rare earth atom bulk content” or simply a “bulk content” regarding the rare earth atom) satisfy a ratio of rare earth atom surface layer portion content/rare earth atom bulk content >1.0.

The content of rare earth atom of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder which will be described later is identical to the rare earth atom bulk content. With respect to this, the partial dissolving using acid is to dissolve the surface layer portion of particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, and accordingly, the content of rare earth atom in the solution obtained by the partial dissolving is the content of rare earth atom in the surface layer portion of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder. The rare earth atom surface layer portion content satisfying a ratio of “rare earth atom surface layer portion content/rare earth atom bulk content >1.0” means that the rare earth atoms are unevenly distributed in the surface layer portion (that is, a larger amount of the rare earth atoms is present, compared to that inside), among the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder. The surface layer portion of the invention and the specification means a part of the region of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder towards the inside from the surface.

In a case where the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder includes the rare earth atom, a content (bulk content) of the rare earth atom is preferably in a range of 0.5 to 5.0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom. It is thought that the rare earth atom having the bulk content in the range described above and uneven distribution of the rare earth atom in the surface layer portion of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder contribute to the prevention of a decrease in reproducing output during the repeated reproducing. It is surmised that this is because the rare earth atom having the bulk content in the range described above included in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder and the uneven distribution of the rare earth atom in the surface layer portion of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can increase the anisotropy constant Ku. As the value of the anisotropy constant Ku is high, occurrence of a phenomenon called thermal fluctuation (that is, improvement of thermal stability) can be prevented. By preventing the occurrence of the thermal fluctuation, a decrease in reproducing output during the repeated reproducing can be prevented. It is surmised that the uneven distribution of the rare earth atom in the surface layer portion of the particles of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder contributes to stabilization of a spin at an iron (Fe) site in a crystal lattice of the surface layer portion, thereby increasing the anisotropy constant Ku.

In addition, it is surmised that the use of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution as the ferromagnetic powder of the magnetic layer also contributes to the prevention of chipping of the surface of the magnetic layer due to the sliding with the magnetic head. That is, it is surmised that, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution can also contribute to the improvement of running durability of the magnetic tape. It is surmised that this is because the uneven distribution of the rare earth atom on the surface of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder contributes to improvement of an interaction between the surface of the particles and an organic substance (for example, binding agent and/or additive) included in the magnetic layer, thereby improving hardness of the magnetic layer.

From a viewpoint of even more preventing reduction of the reproduction output in the repeated reproduction and/or a viewpoint of further improving running durability, the content of rare earth atom (bulk content) is more preferably in a range of 0.5 to 4.5 atom %, even more preferably in a range of 1.0 to 4.5 atom %, and still preferably in a range of 1.5 to 4.5 atom %.

The bulk content is a content obtained by totally dissolving the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder. In the invention and the specification, the content of the atom is a bulk content obtained by totally dissolving the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, unless otherwise noted. The hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may include only one kind of rare earth atom or may include two or more kinds of rare earth atom, as the rare earth atom. In a case where two or more kinds of rare earth atom are included, the bulk content is obtained from the total of the two or more kinds of rare earth atom. The same also applies to the other components of the invention and the specification. That is, for a given component, only one kind may be used or two or more kinds may be used, unless otherwise noted. In a case where two or more kinds are used, the content is a content of the total of the two or more kinds.

In a case where the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder includes the rare earth atom, the rare earth atom included therein may be any one or more kinds of the rare earth atom. Examples of the rare earth atom preferable from a viewpoint of even more preventing reduction of the reproduction output during the repeated reproduction include a neodymium atom, a samarium atom, an yttrium atom, and a dysprosium atom, a neodymium atom, a samarium atom, an yttrium atom are more preferable, and a neodymium atom is even more preferable.

In the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution, a degree of uneven distribution of the rare earth atom is not limited, as long as the rare earth atom is unevenly distributed in the surface layer portion of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder. For example, regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution, a ratio of the surface layer portion content of the rare earth atom obtained by partial dissolving performed under the dissolving conditions which will be described later and the bulk content of the rare earth atom obtained by total dissolving performed under the dissolving conditions which will be described later, “surface layer portion content/bulk content” is greater than 1.0 and can be equal to or greater than 1.5. The “surface layer portion content/bulk content” greater than 1.0 means that the rare earth atoms are unevenly distributed in the surface layer portion (that is, a larger amount of the rare earth atoms is present, compared to that inside), in the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder. A ratio of the surface layer portion content of the rare earth atom obtained by partial dissolving performed under the dissolving conditions which will be described later and the bulk content of the rare earth atom obtained by total dissolving performed under the dissolving conditions which will be described later, “surface layer portion content/bulk content” can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 10.0, equal to or smaller than 9.0, equal to or smaller than 8.0, equal to or smaller than 7.0, equal to or smaller than 6.0, equal to or smaller than 5.0, or equal to or smaller than 4.0. However, in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution, the “surface layer portion content/bulk content” is not limited to the exemplified upper limit or the lower limit, as long as the rare earth atom is unevenly distributed in the surface layer portion of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder.

The partial dissolving and the total dissolving of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder will be described below. Regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder present as the powder, sample powder for the partial dissolving and the total dissolving are collected from powder of the same batch. Meanwhile, regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder included in a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape, a part of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder extracted from the magnetic layer is subjected to the partial dissolving and the other part is subjected to the total dissolving. The extraction of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder from the magnetic layer can be performed by, for example, a method disclosed in a paragraph 0032 of JP2015-91747A.

The partial dissolving means dissolving performed so that the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder remaining in the solution can be visually confirmed in a case of the completion of the dissolving. For example, by performing the partial dissolving, a region of the particles configuring the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder which is 10% to 20% by mass with respect to 100% by mass of a total of the particles can be dissolved. On the other hand, the total dissolving means dissolving performed until the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder remaining in the solution is not visually confirmed in a case of the completion of the dissolving.

The partial dissolving and the measurement of the surface layer portion content are, for example, performed by the following method. However, dissolving conditions such as the amount of sample powder and the like described below are merely examples, and dissolving conditions capable of performing the partial dissolving and the total dissolving can be randomly used.

A vessel (for example, beaker) containing 12 mg of sample powder and 10 mL of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of 1 mol/L is held on a hot plate at a set temperature of 70° C. for 1 hour. The obtained solution is filtered with a membrane filter having a hole diameter of 0.1 μm. The element analysis of the filtrate obtained as described above is performed by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis device. By doing so, the surface layer portion content of the rare earth atom with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom can be obtained. In a case where a plurality of kinds of rare earth atoms are detected from the element analysis, a total content of the entirety of the rare earth atoms is the surface layer portion content. The same applies to the measurement of the bulk content.

Meanwhile, the total dissolving and the measurement of the bulk content are, for example, performed by the following method.

A vessel (for example, beaker) containing 12 mg of sample powder and 10 mL of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of 4 mol/L is held on a hot plate at a set temperature of 80° C. for 3 hours. After that, the process is performed in the same manner as in the partial dissolving and the measurement of the surface layer portion content, and the bulk content with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom can be obtained.

From a viewpoint of increasing reproducing output in a case of reproducing data recorded on a magnetic tape, it is desirable that the mass magnetization σs of ferromagnetic powder included in the magnetic tape is high. In regards to this point, in hexagonal strontium ferrite powder which includes the rare earth atom but does not have the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution, σs tends to significantly decrease, compared to that in hexagonal strontium ferrite powder not including the rare earth atom. With respect to this, it is thought that, hexagonal strontium ferrite powder having the rare earth atom surface layer portion uneven distribution is also preferable for preventing such a significant decrease in σs. In one embodiment, σs of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can be equal to or greater than 45 A×m²/kg and can also be equal to or greater than 47 A×m²/kg. On the other hand, from a viewpoint of noise reduction, σs is preferably equal to or smaller than 80 A×m²/kg and more preferably equal to or smaller than 60 A×m²/kg. σs can be measured by using a well-known measurement device capable of measuring magnetic properties such as an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter. In the invention and the specification, the mass magnetization σs is a value measured at a magnetic field strength of 15 kOe, unless otherwise noted. 1 [kOe]=(10⁶/4π) [A/m]

Regarding the content (bulk content) of the constituting atom in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, a content of the strontium atom can be, for example, in a range of 2.0 to 15.0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom. In one embodiment, in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, the divalent metal atom included in this powder can be only a strontium atom. In another embodiment, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can also include one or more kinds of other divalent metal atoms, in addition to the strontium atom. For example, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder can include a barium atom and/or a calcium atom. In a case where the other divalent metal atom other than the strontium atom is included, a content of a barium atom and a content of a calcium atom in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder respectively can be, for example, in a range of 0.05 to 5.0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom.

As the crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite, a magnetoplumbite type (also referred to as an “M type”), a W type, a Y type, and a Z type are known. The hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may have any crystal structure. The crystal structure can be confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. In the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, a single crystal structure or two or more kinds of crystal structure can be detected by the X-ray diffraction analysis. For example, in one embodiment, in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder, only the M type crystal structure can be detected by the X-ray diffraction analysis. For example, the M type hexagonal ferrite is represented by a compositional formula of AFe₁₂O₁₉. Here, A represents a divalent metal atom, in a case where the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder has the M type, A is only a strontium atom (Sr), or in a case where a plurality of divalent metal atoms are included as A, the strontium atom (Sr) occupies the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder with the greatest content based on atom % as described above. A content of the divalent metal atom in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder is generally determined according to the type of the crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite and is not particularly limited. The same applies to a content of an iron atom and a content of an oxygen atom. The hexagonal strontium ferrite powder at least includes an iron atom, a strontium atom, and an oxygen atom, and can also include a rare earth atom. In addition, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may or may not include atoms other than these atoms. As an example, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may include an aluminum atom (Al). A content of the aluminum atom can be, for example, 0.5 to 10.0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom. From a viewpoint of even more preventing the reduction of the reproduction output during the repeated reproduction, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder includes the iron atom, the strontium atom, the oxygen atom, and the rare earth atom, and a content of the atoms other than these atoms is preferably equal to or smaller than 10.0 atom %, more preferably in a range of 0 to 5.0 atom %, and may be 0 atom % with respect to 100 atom % of the iron atom. That is, in one embodiment, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder may not include atoms other than the iron atom, the strontium atom, the oxygen atom, and the rare earth atom. The content shown with atom % described above is obtained by converting a value of the content (unit: % by mass) of each atom obtained by totally dissolving the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder into a value shown as atom % by using the atomic weight of each atom. In addition, in the invention and the specification, a given atom which is “not included” means that the content thereof obtained by performing total dissolving and measurement by using an ICP analysis device is 0% by mass. A detection limit of the ICP analysis device is generally equal to or smaller than 0.01 ppm (parts per million) based on mass. The expression “not included” is used as a meaning including that a given atom is included with the amount smaller than the detection limit of the ICP analysis device. In one embodiment, the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder does not include a bismuth atom (Bi).

Metal Powder

As a preferred specific example of the ferromagnetic powder, a ferromagnetic metal powder can also be used. For details of the ferromagnetic metal powder, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0137 to 0141 of JP2011-216149A and paragraphs 0009 to 0023 of JP2005-251351A can be referred to, for example.

ε-Iron Oxide Powder

As a preferred specific example of the ferromagnetic powder, an ε-iron oxide powder can also be used. In the invention and the specification, the “ε-iron oxide powder” is a ferromagnetic powder in which an ε-iron oxide type crystal structure is detected as a main phase by X-ray diffraction analysis. For example, in a case where the diffraction peak at the highest intensity in the X-ray diffraction spectrum obtained by the X-ray diffraction analysis belongs to an ε-iron oxide type crystal structure, it is determined that the ε-iron oxide type crystal structure is detected as a main phase. As a manufacturing method of the ε-iron oxide powder, a manufacturing method from a goethite, a reverse micelle method, and the like are known. All of the manufacturing methods are well known. For the method of manufacturing the ε-iron oxide powder in which a part of Fe is substituted with substitutional atoms such as Ga, Co, Ti, Al, or Rh, a description disclosed in J. Jpn. Soc. Powder Metallurgy Vol. 61 Supplement, No. 51, pp. S280-5284, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2013, 1, pp. 5200-5206 can be referred, for example. However, the manufacturing method of the ε-iron oxide powder capable of being used as the ferromagnetic powder in the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is not limited to the method described here.

An activation volume of the ε-iron oxide powder is preferably in a range of 300 to 1,500 nm³. The atomized ε-iron oxide powder showing the activation volume in the range described above is suitable for manufacturing a magnetic tape exhibiting excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics. The activation volume of the ε-iron oxide powder is preferably equal to or greater than 300 nm³, and can also be, for example, equal to or greater than 500 nm³. In addition, from a viewpoint of further improving the electromagnetic conversion characteristics, the activation volume of the ε-iron oxide powder is more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,400 nm³, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,300 nm³, still preferably equal to or smaller than 1,200 nm³, and still more preferably equal to or smaller than 1,100 nm³.

The anisotropy constant Ku can be used as an index of reduction of thermal fluctuation, that is, improvement of thermal stability. The ε-iron oxide powder can preferably have Ku equal to or greater than 3.0×10⁴ J/m³, and more preferably have Ku equal to or greater than 8.0×10⁴ J/m³. In addition, Ku of the ε-iron oxide powder can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 3.0×10⁵ J/m³. However, the high Ku is preferable, because it means high thermal stability, and thus, Ku is not limited to the exemplified value.

From a viewpoint of increasing reproducing output in a case of reproducing data recorded on a magnetic tape, it is desirable that the mass magnetization σs of ferromagnetic powder included in the magnetic tape is high. In regard to this point, in one embodiment, σs of the ε-iron oxide powder can be equal to or greater than 8 A×m²/kg and can also be equal to or greater than 12 A×m²/kg. On the other hand, from a viewpoint of noise reduction, σs of the ε-iron oxide powder is preferably equal to or smaller than 40 A×m²/kg and more preferably equal to or smaller than 35 A×m²/kg.

In the invention and the specification, average particle sizes of various powder such as the ferromagnetic powder and the like are values measured by the following method with a transmission electron microscope, unless otherwise noted.

The powder is imaged at an imaging magnification ratio of 100,000 with a transmission electron microscope, the image is printed on photographic printing paper or displayed on a display so that the total magnification ratio of 500,000 to obtain an image of particles configuring the powder. A target particle is selected from the obtained image of particles, an outline of the particle is traced with a digitizer, and a size of the particle (primary particle) is measured. The primary particle is an independent particle which is not aggregated.

The measurement described above is performed regarding 500 particles arbitrarily extracted. An arithmetic mean of the particle size of 500 particles obtained as described above is the average particle size of the powder. As the transmission electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. can be used, for example. In addition, the measurement of the particle size can be performed by a well-known image analysis software, for example, image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss. The average particle size shown in examples which will be described later is a value measured by using transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. as the transmission electron microscope, and image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss as the image analysis software, unless otherwise noted. In the invention and the specification, the powder means an aggregate of a plurality of particles. For example, the ferromagnetic powder means an aggregate of a plurality of ferromagnetic particles. The aggregate of the plurality of particles not only includes an embodiment in which particles configuring the aggregate are directly in contact with each other, but also includes an embodiment in which a binding agent or an additive which will be described later is interposed between the particles. A term, particles may be used for representing the powder.

As a method for collecting a sample powder from the magnetic tape in order to measure the particle size, a method disclosed in a paragraph of 0015 of JP2011-048878A can be used, for example.

In the invention and the specification, unless otherwise noted,

-   -   (1) in a case where the shape of the particle observed in the         particle image described above is a needle shape, a fusiform         shape, or a columnar shape (here, a height is greater than a         maximum long diameter of a bottom surface), the size (particle         size) of the particles configuring the powder is shown as a         length of a major axis configuring the particle, that is, a         major axis length,     -   (2) in a case where the shape of the particle is a planar shape         or a columnar shape (here, a thickness or a height is smaller         than a maximum long diameter of a plate surface or a bottom         surface), the particle size is shown as a maximum long diameter         of the plate surface or the bottom surface, and     -   (3) in a case where the shape of the particle is a sphere shape,         a polyhedron shape, or an unspecified shape, and the major axis         configuring the particles cannot be specified from the shape,         the particle size is shown as an equivalent circle diameter. The         equivalent circle diameter is a value obtained by a circle         projection method.

In addition, regarding an average acicular ratio of the powder, a length of a minor axis, that is, a minor axis length of the particles is measured in the measurement described above, a value of (major axis length/minor axis length) of each particle is obtained, and an arithmetic mean of the values obtained regarding 500 particles is calculated. Here, unless otherwise noted, in a case of (1), the minor axis length as the definition of the particle size is a length of a minor axis configuring the particle, in a case of (2), the minor axis length is a thickness or a height, and in a case of (3), the major axis and the minor axis are not distinguished, thus, the value of (major axis length/minor axis length) is assumed as 1, for convenience.

In addition, unless otherwise noted, in a case where the shape of the particle is specified, for example, in a case of definition of the particle size (1), the average particle size is an average major axis length, and in a case of the definition (2), the average particle size is an average plate diameter. In a case of the definition (3), the average particle size is an average diameter (also referred to as an average particle diameter).

The content (filling percentage) of the ferromagnetic powder of the magnetic layer is preferably in a range of 50% to 90% by mass and more preferably in a range of 60% to 90% by mass with respect to a total mass of the magnetic layer. A high filling percentage of the ferromagnetic powder in the magnetic layer is preferable from a viewpoint of improvement of recording density.

Binding Agent

The magnetic tape may be a coating type magnetic tape, and can include a binding agent in the magnetic layer. The binding agent is one or more kinds of resin. As the binding agent, various resins normally used as a binding agent of a coating type magnetic recording medium can be used. As the binding agent, a resin selected from a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, a vinyl chloride resin, an acrylic resin obtained by copolymerizing styrene, acrylonitrile, or methyl methacrylate, a cellulose resin such as nitrocellulose, an epoxy resin, a phenoxy resin, and a polyvinylalkylal resin such as polyvinyl acetal or polyvinyl butyral can be used alone or a plurality of resins can be mixed with each other to be used. Among these, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic resin, a cellulose resin, and a vinyl chloride resin are preferable. These resins may be a homopolymer or a copolymer. These resins can be used as the binding agent even in the non-magnetic layer and/or a back coating layer which will be described later.

For the binding agent described above, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0028 to 0031 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. An average molecular weight of the resin used as the binding agent can be, for example, 10,000 to 200,000 as a weight-average molecular weight. The weight-average molecular weight of the invention and the specification is a value obtained by performing polystyrene conversion of a value measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) under the following measurement conditions. The weight-average molecular weight of the binding agent shown in examples which will be described later is a value obtained by performing polystyrene conversion of a value measured under the following measurement conditions. The amount of the binding agent used can be, for example, 1.0 to 30.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder.

GPC device: HLC-8120 (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)

Column: TSK gel Multipore HXL-M (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, 7.8 mmID (inner diameter)×30.0 cm)

Eluent: Tetrahydrofuran (THF)

Curing Agent

A curing agent can also be used together with the resin which can be used as the binding agent. As the curing agent, in one embodiment, a thermosetting compound which is a compound in which a curing reaction (crosslinking reaction) proceeds due to heating can be used, and in another embodiment, a photocurable compound in which a curing reaction (crosslinking reaction) proceeds due to light irradiation can be used. At least a part of the curing agent is included in the magnetic layer in a state of being reacted (crosslinked) with other components such as the binding agent, by proceeding the curing reaction in the magnetic layer forming step. This point is the same as regarding a layer formed by using a composition, in a case where the composition used for forming the other layer includes the curing agent. The preferred curing agent is a thermosetting compound, and polyisocyanate is suitable. For the details of polyisocyanate, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0124 and 0125 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to. The amount of the curing agent can be, for example, 0 to 80.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the binding agent in the magnetic layer forming composition, and is preferably 50.0 to 80.0 parts by mass, from a viewpoint of improvement of hardness of the magnetic layer.

Additives

The magnetic layer may include one or more kinds of additives, as necessary. As the additives, the curing agent described above is used as an example. In addition, examples of the additive included in the magnetic layer include a non-magnetic powder (for example, inorganic powder, carbon black, or the like), a lubricant, a dispersing agent, a dispersing assistant, a fungicide, an antistatic agent, and an antioxidant. For the lubricant, a description disclosed in paragraphs 0030 to 0033, 0035, and 0036 of JP2016-126817A can be referred to. The lubricant may be included in the non-magnetic layer which will be described later. For the lubricant which can be included in the non-magnetic layer, a description disclosed in paragraphs 0030, 0031, 0034 to 0036 of JP2016-126817A can be referred to. For the dispersing agent, a description disclosed in paragraphs 0061 and 0071 of JP2012-133837A can be referred to. The dispersing agent may be added to a non-magnetic layer forming composition. For the dispersing agent which can be added to the non-magnetic layer forming composition, a description disclosed in paragraph 0061 of JP2012-133837A can be referred to. As the non-magnetic powder which may be included in the magnetic layer, non-magnetic powder which can function as an abrasive, non-magnetic powder (for example, non-magnetic colloid particles) which can function as a projection formation agent which forms projections suitably protruded from the surface of the magnetic layer, and the like can be used. An average particle size of colloidal silica (silica colloid particles) shown in the examples which will be described later is a value obtained by a method disclosed in a measurement method of an average particle diameter in a paragraph 0015 of JP2011-048878A. As the additives, a commercially available product can be suitably selected according to the desired properties or manufactured by a well-known method, and can be used with any amount. As an example of the additive which can be used for improving dispersibility of the abrasive in the magnetic layer including the abrasive, a dispersing agent disclosed in paragraphs 0012 to 0022 of JP2013-131285A can be used.

The magnetic layer described above can be provided on the surface of the non-magnetic support directly or indirectly through the non-magnetic layer.

Non-Magnetic Layer

Next, the non-magnetic layer will be described. The magnetic tape may include a magnetic layer directly on the surface of the non-magnetic support or may include a magnetic layer on the surface of the non-magnetic support through the non-magnetic layer including the non-magnetic powder. The non-magnetic powder used in the non-magnetic layer may be a powder of an inorganic substance or a powder of an organic substance. In addition, carbon black and the like can be used. Examples of powder of the inorganic substance include powder of metal, metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfate, metal nitride, metal carbide, and metal sulfide. The non-magnetic powder can be purchased as a commercially available product or can be manufactured by a well-known method. For details thereof, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0146 to 0150 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to. For carbon black which can be used in the non-magnetic layer, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0040 and 0041 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. The content (filling percentage) of the non-magnetic powder of the non-magnetic layer is preferably in a range of 50% to 90% by mass and more preferably in a range of 60% to 90% by mass with respect to a total mass of the non-magnetic layer.

The non-magnetic layer can include a binding agent and can also include additives. In regards to other details of a binding agent or additives of the non-magnetic layer, the well-known technology regarding the non-magnetic layer can be applied. In addition, in regards to the type and the content of the binding agent, and the type and the content of the additive, for example, the well-known technology regarding the magnetic layer can be applied.

The non-magnetic layer of the invention and the specification also includes a substantially non-magnetic layer including a small amount of ferromagnetic powder as impurities or intentionally, together with the non-magnetic powder. Here, the substantially non-magnetic layer is a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT, a layer having coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m (100 Oe), or a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT and coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m (100 Oe). It is preferable that the non-magnetic layer does not have a residual magnetic flux density and coercivity.

Back Coating Layer

The magnetic tape may or may not include a back coating layer including a non-magnetic powder on a surface side of the non-magnetic support opposite to the surface side provided with the magnetic layer. The back coating layer preferably includes any one or both of carbon black and inorganic powder. The back coating layer can include a binding agent and can also include additives. In regards to the binding agent included in the back coating layer and various additives, a well-known technology regarding the back coating layer can be applied, and a well-known technology regarding the list of the magnetic layer and/or the non-magnetic layer can also be applied. For example, for the back coating layer, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0018 to 0020 of JP2006-331625A and page 4, line 65, to page 5, line 38, of U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,774B can be referred to.

Various Thicknesses

Regarding a thickness (total thickness) of the magnetic tape, it has been required to increase recording capacity (increase in capacity) of the magnetic tape along with the enormous increase in amount of information in recent years. As a unit for increasing the capacity, a thickness of the magnetic tape is reduced (hereinafter, also referred to as “thinning”) and a length of the magnetic tape accommodated in one reel of the magnetic tape cartridge is increased. From this point, the thickness (total thickness) of the magnetic tape is preferably 5.6 μm or less, more preferably 5.5 μm or less, even more preferably 5.4 μm or less, and still preferably 5.3 μm or less. In addition, from a viewpoint of ease of handling, the thickness of the magnetic tape is preferably 3.0 μm or more and more preferably 3.5 μm or more.

The thickness (total thickness) of the magnetic tape can be measured by the following method.

Ten tape samples (for example, length of 5 to 10 cm) are cut out from a random portion of the magnetic tape, these tape samples are overlapped, and the thickness is measured. A value which is one tenth of the measured thickness (thickness per one tape sample) is set as the tape thickness. The thickness measurement can be performed using a well-known measurement device capable of performing the thickness measurement at 0.1 μm order.

A thickness of the non-magnetic support is preferably 3.0 to 5.0 μm.

A thickness of the magnetic layer can be optimized according to a saturation magnetization amount of a magnetic head used, a head gap length, a recording signal band, and the like, is normally 0.01 μm to 0.15 μm, and is preferably 0.02 μm to 0.12 μm and more preferably 0.03 μm to 0.1 μm, from a viewpoint of realization of high-density recording. The magnetic layer may be at least single layer, the magnetic layer may be separated into two or more layers having different magnetic properties, and a configuration of a well-known multilayered magnetic layer can be applied. A thickness of the magnetic layer in a case where the magnetic layer is separated into two or more layers is the total thickness of the layers.

A thickness of the non-magnetic layer is, for example, 0.1 to 1.5 μm and is preferably 0.1 to 1.0 μm.

A thickness of the back coating layer is preferably 0.9 μm or less and more preferably 0.1 to 0.7 μm.

Various thicknesses such as the thickness of the magnetic layer and the like can be obtained by the following method.

A cross section of the magnetic tape in the thickness direction is exposed with an ion beam and the cross section observation of the exposed cross section is performed using a scanning electron microscope or a transmission electron microscope. Various thicknesses can be obtained as the arithmetic mean of the thicknesses obtained at two random portions in the cross section observation. Alternatively, various thicknesses can be obtained as a designed thickness calculated under the manufacturing conditions.

Manufacturing Step

Preparation of Each Layer Forming Composition

A step of preparing a composition for forming the magnetic layer, the non-magnetic layer or the back coating layer can generally include at least a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step provided before and after these steps, in a case where necessary. Each step may be divided into two or more stages. The component used in the preparation of each layer forming composition may be added at an initial stage or in a middle stage of each step. As the solvent, one kind or two or more kinds of various solvents generally used for manufacturing a coating type magnetic recording medium can be used. For the solvent, a description disclosed in a paragraph 0153 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to, for example. In addition, each component may be separately added in two or more steps. For example, a binding agent may be separately added in a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step for adjusting viscosity after the dispersion. In order to manufacture the magnetic tape, a well-known manufacturing technology can be used in various steps. In the kneading step, an open kneader, a continuous kneader, a pressure kneader, or a kneader having a strong kneading force such as an extruder is preferably used. For details of the kneading processes, descriptions disclosed in JP1989-106338A (JP-H01-106338A) and JP1989-79274A (JP-H01-79274A) can be referred to. As a disperser, a well-known dispersion device can be used. The filtering may be performed by a well-known method in any stage for preparing each layer forming composition. The filtering can be performed by using a filter, for example. As the filter used in the filtering, a filter having a hole diameter of 0.01 to 3 μm (for example, filter made of glass fiber or filter made of polypropylene) can be used, for example.

Coating Step

The magnetic layer can be formed by directly applying the magnetic layer forming composition onto the surface of the non-magnetic support or performing multilayer coating of the magnetic layer forming composition with the non-magnetic layer forming composition in order or at the same time. The back coating layer can be formed by applying the back coating layer forming composition onto the surface of the non-magnetic support opposite to the surface provided with the non-magnetic layer and/or the magnetic layer (or non-magnetic layer and/or the magnetic layer is to be provided). For details of the coating for forming each layer, a description disclosed in a paragraph 0066 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to.

Other Steps

For various other steps for manufacturing the magnetic tape, a well-known technology can be applied. For details of the various steps, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0067 to 0070 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to, for example. For example, the coating layer of the magnetic layer forming composition can be subjected to an alignment process in an alignment zone, while the coating layer is wet. For the alignment process, various technologies disclosed in a paragraph 0052 of JP2010-24113A can be applied. For example, a homeotropic alignment process can be performed by a well-known method such as a method using a different polar facing magnet. In the alignment zone, a drying speed of the coating layer can be controlled by a temperature and an air flow of the dry air and/or a transporting rate in the alignment zone. In addition, the coating layer may be preliminarily dried before transporting to the alignment zone.

Through various steps, a long magnetic tape raw material can be obtained. The obtained magnetic tape raw material is, for example, cut (slit) by a well-known cutter to have a width of a magnetic tape to be wound around the magnetic tape cartridge. The width is determined according to the standard and is normally ½ inches. 1 inch=12.65 mm.

In the magnetic tape obtained by slitting, a servo pattern can be formed. The servo pattern will be described later in detail.

Heat Treatment

In the one embodiment, the magnetic tape can be a magnetic tape manufactured through the following heat treatment. In a case where the following heat treatment is performed, the value of TDSage tends to decrease.

As the heat treatment, the magnetic tape slit and cut to have a width determined according to the standard described above can be wound around a core member and can be subjected to the heat treatment in the wound state.

In the one embodiment, the heat treatment is performed in a state where the magnetic tape is wound around the core member for heat treatment (hereinafter, referred to as a “core for heat treatment”), the magnetic tape after the heat treatment is wound around a reel of the magnetic tape cartridge, and a magnetic tape cartridge in which the magnetic tape is wound around the reel can be manufactured.

The core for heat treatment can be formed of metal, a resin, or paper. The material of the core for heat treatment is preferably a material having high stiffness, from a viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of a winding defect such as spoking or the like. From this viewpoint, the core for heat treatment is preferably formed of metal or a resin. In addition, as an indicator for stiffness, a bending elastic modulus of the material for the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or greater than 0.2 GPa and more preferably equal to or greater than 0.3 GPa. Meanwhile, since the material having high stiffness is normally expensive, the use of the core for heat treatment of the material having stiffness exceeding the stiffness capable of preventing the occurrence of the winding defect causes the cost increase. By considering the viewpoint described above, the bending elastic modulus of the material for the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or smaller than 250 GPa. The bending elastic modulus is a value measured based on international organization for standardization (ISO) 178 and the bending elastic modulus of various materials is well known. In addition, the core for heat treatment can be a solid or hollow core member. In a case of a hollow shape, a wall thickness is preferably equal to or greater than 2 mm, from a viewpoint of maintaining the stiffness. In addition, the core for heat treatment may include or may not include a flange.

The magnetic tape having a length equal to or greater than a length to be finally accommodated in the magnetic tape cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as a “final product length”) is prepared as the magnetic tape wound around the core for heat treatment, and it is preferable to perform the heat treatment by placing the magnetic tape in the heat treatment environment, in a state where the magnetic tape is wound around the core for heat treatment. The magnetic tape length wound around the core for heat treatment is equal to or greater than the final product length, and is preferably the “final product length+α”, from a viewpoint of ease of winding around the core for heat treatment. This α is preferably equal to or greater than 5 m, from a viewpoint of ease of the winding. The tension in a case of winding around the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or greater than 0.1 N (newton). In addition, from a viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of excessive deformation, the tension in a case of winding around the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or smaller than 1.5 N and more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.0 N. An outer diameter of the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or greater than 20 mm and more preferably equal to or greater than 40 mm, from viewpoints of ease of the winding and preventing coiling (curl in longitudinal direction). The outer diameter of the core for heat treatment is preferably equal to or smaller than 100 mm and more preferably equal to or smaller than 90 mm A width of the core for heat treatment may be equal to or greater than the width of the magnetic tape wound around this core. In addition, after the heat treatment, in a case of detaching the magnetic tape from the core for heat treatment, it is preferable that the magnetic tape and the core for heat treatment are sufficiently cooled and magnetic tape is detached from the core for heat treatment, in order to prevent the occurrence of the tape deformation which is not intended during the detaching operation. It is preferable the detached magnetic tape is wound around another core temporarily (referred to as a “core for temporary winding”), and the magnetic tape is wound around a reel (generally, outer diameter is approximately 40 to 50 mm) of the magnetic tape cartridge from the core for temporary winding. Accordingly, a relationship between the inside and the outside with respect to the core for heat treatment of the magnetic tape in a case of the heat treatment can be maintained and the magnetic tape can be wound around the reel of the magnetic tape cartridge. Regarding the details of the core for temporary winding and the tension in a case of winding the magnetic tape around the core, the description described above regarding the core for heat treatment can be referred to. In an embodiment in which the heat treatment is subjected to the magnetic tape having a length of the “final product length+α”, the length corresponding to “+α” may be cut in any stage. For example, in one embodiment, the magnetic tape having the final product length may be wound around the cartridge reel of the magnetic tape cartridge from the core for temporary winding and the remaining length corresponding the “+α” may be cut. From a viewpoint of decreasing the amount of the portion to be cut out and removed, the α is preferably equal to or smaller than 20 m.

The specific embodiment of the heat treatment performed in a state of being wound around the core member as described above is described below.

An atmosphere temperature for performing the heat treatment (hereinafter, referred to as a “heat treatment temperature”) is preferably equal to or higher than 40° C. and more preferably equal to or higher than 50° C. On the other hand, from a viewpoint of preventing the excessive deformation, the heat treatment temperature is preferably equal to or lower than 75° C., more preferably equal to or lower than 70° C., and even more preferably equal to or lower than 65° C.

A weight absolute humidity of the atmosphere for performing the heat treatment is preferably equal to or greater than 0.1 g/kg Dry air and more preferably equal to or greater than 1 g/kg Dry air. The atmosphere in which the weight absolute humidity is in the range described above is preferable, because it can be prepared without using a special device for decreasing moisture. On the other hand, the weight absolute humidity is preferably equal to or smaller than 70 g/kg Dry air and more preferably equal to or smaller than 66 g/kg Dry air, from a viewpoint of preventing a deterioration in workability by dew condensation. The heat treatment time is preferably equal to or longer than 0.3 hours and more preferably equal to or longer than 0.5 hours. In addition, the heat treatment time is preferably equal to or shorter than 48 hours, from a viewpoint of production efficiency.

Formation of Servo Pattern

The “formation of the servo pattern” can be “recording of a servo signal”. The formation of the servo pattern will be described below.

The servo pattern is generally formed along a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. As a system of control using a servo signal (servo control), timing-based servo (TB S), amplitude servo, or frequency servo is used.

As shown in European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA)-319 (June 2001), a timing-based servo system is used in a magnetic tape based on a linear tape-open (LTO) standard (generally referred to as an “LTO tape”). In this timing-based servo system, the servo pattern is configured by continuously disposing a plurality of pairs of magnetic stripes (also referred to as “servo stripes”) not parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. In the invention and the specification, the “timing-based servo pattern” refers to a servo pattern that enables head tracking in a servo system of a timing-based servo system. As described above, a reason for that the servo pattern is configured with one pair of magnetic stripes not parallel to each other is because a servo signal reading element passing on the servo pattern recognizes a passage position thereof. Specifically, one pair of the magnetic stripes are formed so that a gap thereof is continuously changed along the width direction of the magnetic tape, and a relative position of the servo pattern and the servo signal reading element can be recognized, by the reading of the gap thereof by the servo signal reading element. The information of this relative position can realize the tracking of a data track. Accordingly, a plurality of servo tracks are generally set on the servo pattern along the width direction of the magnetic tape.

The servo band is configured of servo patterns continuous in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. A plurality of servo bands are normally provided on the magnetic tape. For example, the number thereof is 5 in the LTO tape. A region interposed between two adjacent servo bands is a data band. The data band is configured of a plurality of data tracks and each data track corresponds to each servo track.

In one embodiment, as shown in JP2004-318983A, information showing the number of servo band (also referred to as “servo band identification (ID)” or “Unique Data Band Identification Method (UDIM) information”) is embedded in each servo band. This servo band ID is recorded by shifting a specific servo stripe among the plurality of pair of servo stripes in the servo band so that the position thereof is relatively deviated in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. Specifically, the position of the shifted specific servo stripe among the plurality of pair of servo stripes is changed for each servo band. Accordingly, the recorded servo band ID becomes unique for each servo band, and therefore, the servo band can be uniquely specified by only reading one servo band by the servo signal reading element.

In a method of uniquely specifying the servo band, a staggered method as shown in ECMA-319 (June 2001) is used. In this staggered method, a plurality of the groups of one pair of magnetic stripes (servo stripe) not parallel to each other which are continuously disposed in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape is recorded so as to be shifted in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape for each servo band. A combination of this shifted servo band between the adjacent servo bands is set to be unique in the entire magnetic tape, and accordingly, the servo band can also be uniquely specified by reading of the servo pattern by two servo signal reading elements.

In addition, as shown in ECMA-319 (June 2001), information showing the position in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape (also referred to as “Longitudinal Position (LPOS) information”) is normally embedded in each servo band. This LPOS information is recorded so that the position of one pair of servo stripes is shifted in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, in the same manner as the UDIM information. However, unlike the UDIM information, the same signal is recorded on each servo band in this LPOS information.

Other information different from the UDIM information and the LPOS information can be embedded in the servo band. In this case, the embedded information may be different for each servo band as the UDIM information, or may be common in all of the servo bands, as the LPOS information.

In addition, as a method of embedding the information in the servo band, a method other than the method described above can be used. For example, a predetermined code may be recorded by thinning out a predetermined pair among the group of pairs of the servo stripes.

A servo pattern forming head is also referred to as a servo write head. The servo write head generally includes pairs of gaps corresponding to the pairs of magnetic stripes by the number of servo bands. In general, a core and a coil are respectively connected to each of the pairs of gaps, and a magnetic field generated in the core can generate leakage magnetic field in the pairs of gaps, by supplying a current pulse to the coil. In a case of forming the servo pattern, by inputting a current pulse while causing the magnetic tape to run on the servo write head, the magnetic pattern corresponding to the pair of gaps is transferred to the magnetic tape, and the servo pattern can be formed. A width of each gap can be suitably set in accordance with a density of the servo pattern to be formed. The width of each gap can be set as, for example, equal to or smaller than 1 μm, 1 to 10 μm, or equal to or greater than 10 μm.

Before forming the servo pattern on the magnetic tape, a demagnetization (erasing) process is generally performed on the magnetic tape. This erasing process can be performed by applying a uniform magnetic field to the magnetic tape by using a DC magnet and an AC magnet. The erasing process includes direct current (DC) erasing and alternating current (AC) erasing. The AC erasing is performed by slowing decreasing an intensity of the magnetic field, while reversing a direction of the magnetic field applied to the magnetic tape. Meanwhile, the DC erasing is performed by applying the magnetic field in one direction to the magnetic tape. The DC erasing further includes two methods. A first method is horizontal DC erasing of applying the magnetic field in one direction along a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. A second method is vertical DC erasing of applying the magnetic field in one direction along a thickness direction of the magnetic tape. The erasing process may be performed with respect to all of the magnetic tape or may be performed for each servo band of the magnetic tape.

A direction of the magnetic field to the servo pattern to be formed is determined in accordance with the direction of erasing. For example, in a case where the horizontal DC erasing is performed to the magnetic tape, the formation of the servo pattern is performed so that the direction of the magnetic field and the direction of erasing is opposite to each other. Accordingly, the output of the servo signal obtained by the reading of the servo pattern can be increased. As disclosed in JP2012-53940A, in a case where the magnetic pattern is transferred to the magnetic tape subjected to the vertical DC erasing by using the gap, the servo signal obtained by the reading of the formed servo pattern has a unipolar pulse shape. Meanwhile, in a case where the magnetic pattern is transferred to the magnetic tape subjected to the horizontal DC erasing by using the gap, the servo signal obtained by the reading of the formed servo pattern has a bipolar pulse shape.

The magnetic tape can be, for example, accommodated in the magnetic tape cartridge. The magnetic tape cartridge accommodating the magnetic tape can be mounted on a magnetic tape device.

<Vertical Squareness Ratio>

In the one embodiment, the vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape can be, for example, 0.55 or more, and is preferably 0.60 or more. It is preferable that the vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.60 or more, from a viewpoint of improving the electromagnetic conversion characteristics. In principle, an upper limit of the squareness ratio is 1.00 or less. The vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape can be 1.00 or less, 0.95 or less, 0.90 or less, 0.85 or less, or 0.80 or less. It is preferable that the value of the vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is large from a viewpoint of improving the electromagnetic conversion characteristics. The vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape can be controlled by a well-known method such as performing a homeotropic alignment process.

In the invention and the specification, the “vertical squareness ratio” is squareness ratio measured in the vertical direction of the magnetic tape. The “vertical direction” described with respect to the squareness ratio is a direction orthogonal to the surface of the magnetic layer, and can also be referred to as a thickness direction. In the invention and the specification, the vertical squareness ratio is obtained by the following method.

A sample piece having a size that can be introduced into an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter is cut out from the magnetic tape to be measured. Regarding the sample piece, using the oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter, a magnetic field is applied to a vertical direction of a sample piece (direction orthogonal to the surface of the magnetic layer) with a maximum applied magnetic field of 3979 kA/m, a measurement temperature of 296 K, and a magnetic field sweep speed of 8.3 kA/m/sec, and a magnetization strength of the sample piece with respect to the applied magnetic field is measured. The measured value of the magnetization strength is obtained as a value after diamagnetic field correction and a value obtained by subtracting magnetization of a sample probe of the oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter as background noise. In a case where the magnetization strength at the maximum applied magnetic field is Ms and the magnetization strength at zero applied magnetic field is Mr, the squareness ratio SQ is a value calculated as SQ=Mr/Ms. The measurement temperature is referred to as a temperature of the sample piece, and by setting the ambient temperature around the sample piece to a measurement temperature, the temperature of the sample piece can be set to the measurement temperature by realizing temperature equilibrium.

Magnetic Tape Cartridge

In the magnetic tape cartridge, the magnetic tape is generally accommodated in a cartridge main body in a state of being wound around a reel. The reel is rotatably provided in the cartridge main body. As the magnetic tape cartridge, a single reel type magnetic tape cartridge including one reel in a cartridge main body and a twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge including two reels in a cartridge main body are widely used. In a case where the single reel type magnetic tape cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape device in order to record and/or reproduce data on the magnetic tape, the magnetic tape is drawn from the magnetic tape cartridge and wound around the reel on the magnetic tape device side. A magnetic head is disposed on a magnetic tape transportation path from the magnetic tape cartridge to a winding reel. Feeding and winding of the magnetic tape are performed between a reel (supply reel) on the magnetic tape cartridge side and a reel (winding reel) on the magnetic tape device side. In the meantime, for example, the magnetic head comes into contact with and slides on the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape, and accordingly, the recording and/or reproducing of data is performed. With respect to this, in the twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge, both reels of the supply reel and the winding reel are provided in the magnetic tape cartridge.

In one embodiment, the magnetic tape cartridge can include a cartridge memory. The cartridge memory can be, for example, a non-volatile memory, and angle adjustment information is recorded in advance or angle θ adjustment information is recorded. The angle θ adjustment information is information for adjusting the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device. For example, as the angle θ adjustment information, a value of the servo band spacing at each position in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape at the time of data recording can be recorded. For example, in a case where the data recorded on the magnetic tape is reproduced, the value of the servo band spacing is measured at the time of the reproducing, and the angle θ can be changed by the control device of the magnetic tape device so that an absolute value of a difference of the servo band spacing at the time of recording at the same longitudinal position recorded in the cartridge memory is close to 0.

The magnetic tape and the magnetic tape cartridge can be suitably used in the magnetic tape device (that is, magnetic recording and reproducing system) for performing recording and/or reproducing data by changing the head tilt angle during the running of the magnetic tape.

Hereinafter, the drawings will be described with reference to the drawings appropriately. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. In addition, the dimensions and the like of each part in the drawings are merely examples.

Configuration of Magnetic Tape Device

In the magnetic tape device, the recording of data on the magnetic tape and/or the reproducing of data recorded on the magnetic tape can be performed by bringing the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape into contact with the magnetic head and sliding. For example, the magnetic tape device can attachably and detachably include the magnetic tape cartridge accommodating the magnetic tape.

In the invention and the specification, the “magnetic tape device” means a device capable of performing at least one of the recording of data on the magnetic tape or the reproducing of data recorded on the magnetic tape. Such a device is generally called a drive.

Magnetic Head

The magnetic head included in the magnetic tape device may include one or more modules including an element array including a plurality of magnetic head elements between a pair of servo signal reading elements, and can include two or more modules or three or more modules. The total number of such modules can be, for example, 5 or less, 4 or less, or 3 or less, or the magnetic head may include the number of modules exceeding the total number exemplified here. Examples of arrangement of the plurality of modules can include “recording module-reproducing module” (total number of modules: 2), “recording module-reproducing module-recording module” (total number of modules: 3), and the like. However, the invention is not limited to the examples shown here.

Each module includes an element array including a plurality of magnetic head elements between a pair of servo signal reading elements, that is, arrangement of elements. The module including a recording element as the magnetic head element is a recording module for recording data on the magnetic tape. The module including a reproducing element as the magnetic head element is a reproducing module for reproducing data recorded on the magnetic tape. In the magnetic head, the plurality of modules are arranged, for example, in a recording and reproducing head unit so that an axis of the element array of each module is oriented in parallel. The “parallel” does not mean only parallel in the strict sense, but also includes a range of errors normally allowed in the technical field of the invention. For example, the range of errors means a range of less than ±10° from an exact parallel direction.

In a case where the total number of modules included in the magnetic head is 1, the TC is obtained for this module. In a case where the total number of modules included in the magnetic head is 2 or more, the TC is obtained for a module randomly selected. The module for obtaining the TC may be the recording module or the reproducing module.

As the reproducing element, a magnetoresistive (MR) element capable of reading information recorded on the magnetic tape with excellent sensitivity is preferable. As the MR element, various well-known MR elements (for example, a Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) element, or a Tunnel Magnetoresistive (TMR) element) can be used. Hereinafter, the magnetic head which records data and/or reproduces the recorded data is also referred to as a “recording and reproducing head”. The element for recording data (recording element) and the element for reproducing data (reproducing element) are collectively referred to as a “magnetic head element”.

By reproducing data using the reproducing element having a narrow reproducing element width as the reproducing element, the data recorded at high density can be reproduced with high sensitivity. From this viewpoint, the reproducing element width of the reproducing element is preferably 0.8 μm or less. The reproducing element width of the reproducing element can be, for example, 0.3 μm or more. However, it is also preferable to fall below this value from the above viewpoint.

Here, the “reproducing element width” refers to a physical dimension of the reproducing element width. Such physical dimensions can be measured with an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope, or the like.

In each element array, the pair of servo signal reading elements and the plurality of magnetic head elements (that is, recording elements or reproducing elements) are usually arranged to be in a straight line spaced apart from each other. Here, the expression that “arranged in a straight line” means that each magnetic head element is arranged on a straight line connecting a central portion of one servo signal reading element and a central portion of the other servo signal reading element. The “axis of the element array” in the present invention and the present specification means the straight line connecting the central portion of one servo signal reading element and the central portion of the other servo signal reading element.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the module and the like will be further described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment shown in the drawings is an example and the invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a module of a magnetic head. The module shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of magnetic head elements between a pair of servo signal reading elements (servo signal reading elements 1 and 2). The magnetic head element is also referred to as a “channel”. “Ch” in the drawing is an abbreviation for a channel. The module shown in FIG. 1 includes a total of 32 magnetic head elements of Ch0 to Ch31.

“L” for obtaining the TC is a distance between the pair of servo signal reading elements, that is, a distance between one servo signal reading element and the other servo signal reading element. In the module shown in FIG. 1 , the “L” is a distance between the servo signal reading element 1 and the servo signal reading element 2. Specifically, the “L” is a distance between a central portion of the servo signal reading element 1 and a central portion of the servo signal reading element 2. Such a distance can be measured by, for example, an optical microscope or the like.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a relative positional relationship between the module and the magnetic tape during running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device. In FIG. 2 , a dotted line A indicates a width direction of the magnetic tape. A dotted line B indicates an axis of the element array. An angle θ can be the head tilt angle, and is an angle formed by the dotted line A and the dotted line B. During the running of the magnetic tape, in a case where the angle θ is 0°, a distance in a width direction of the magnetic tape between one servo signal reading element and the other servo signal reading element of the element array (hereinafter, also referred to as an “effective distance between servo signal reading elements”) is “L”. On the other hand, in a case where the angle θ exceeds 0°, the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements is “L cos θ” and the L cos θ is smaller than the L. That is, “L cos θ<L”.

As described above, during the recording or the reproducing, in a case where the magnetic head for recording or reproducing data records or reproduces data while being deviated from a target track position due to width deformation of the magnetic tape, phenomenons such as overwriting on recorded data, reproducing failure, and the like may occur. For example, in a case where a width of the magnetic tape contracts or extends, a phenomenon may occur in which the magnetic head element that should record or reproduce at a target track position records or reproduces at a different track position. In addition, in a case where the width of the magnetic tape extends, the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements may be shortened than a spacing of two adjacent servo bands with a data band interposed therebetween (also referred to as a “servo band spacing” or “spacing of servo bands”, specifically, a distance between the two servo bands in the width direction of the magnetic tape), and a phenomenon in that the data is not recorded or reproduced at a part close to an edge of the magnetic tape can occur.

With respect to this, in a case where the element array is tilted at the angle θ exceeding 0°, the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements becomes “L cos θ” as described above. The larger the value of θ, the smaller the value of L cos θ, and the smaller the value of θ, the larger the value of L cos θ. Accordingly, in a case where the value of θ is changed according to a degree of dimensional change (that is, contraction or expansion) in the width direction of the magnetic tape, the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements can be brought closer to or matched with the spacing of the servo bands. Therefore, during the recording or the reproducing, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of phenomenons such as overwriting on recorded data, reproducing failure, and the like caused in a case where the magnetic head for recording or reproducing data records or reproduces data while being deviated from a target track position due to width deformation of the magnetic tape, or it is possible to reduce a frequency of occurrence thereof.

Thus, in the magnetic tape device, the angle θ formed by the axis of the element array with respect to a width direction of the magnetic tape is changed during running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device. For example, by providing an angle adjustment unit for adjusting the angle of the module in the recording and reproducing head unit of the magnetic head, the angle θ can be variably adjusted during the running of the magnetic tape. Such an angle adjustment unit can include, for example, a rotation mechanism for rotating the module. For the angle adjustment unit, a well-known technology can be applied.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a change in angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape.

The angle θ at the start of running, θ_(initial), can be set to 0° or more or more than 0°. As the θ_(initial) is large, a change amount of the distance between the servo signal reading elements with respect to a change amount of the angle θ increases, and accordingly, it is preferable from a viewpoint of adjustment ability for adjusting the distance between the servo signal reading elements according to the dimension change of the width direction of the magnetic tape. From this viewpoint, the θ_(initial) is preferably 1.000° or more, more preferably 5.000° or more, and even more preferably 10.000° or more. Meanwhile, regarding an angle (generally referred to as a “lap angle”) formed by a surface of the magnetic layer and a contact surface of the magnetic head in a case where the magnetic tape runs and comes into contact with the magnetic head, a deviation in a tape width direction which is kept small is effective in improving uniformity of friction in the tape width direction which is generated by the contact between the magnetic head and the magnetic tape during the running of the magnetic tape. In addition, it is desirable to improve the uniformity of the friction in the tape width direction from a viewpoint of position followability and the running stability of the magnetic head. From a viewpoint of reducing the deviation of the lap angle in the tape width direction, θ_(initial) is preferably 45.000° or less, more preferably 40.000° or less, and even more preferably 35.000° or less.

The head tilt angle θ_(initial) at the start of the running of the magnetic tape can be set by a control device or the like of the magnetic tape device.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the axis of the element array is tilted toward a magnetic tape running direction. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example. The present invention also includes an embodiment in which the axis of the element array is tilted in a direction opposite to the magnetic tape running direction in the magnetic tape device. In the present invention and the present specification, the angle θ is changed in a range of 0° to 90° during the running of the magnetic tape. That is, in a case where the axis of the element array is tilted toward the magnetic tape running direction at the start of magnetic tape running, the element array is not tilted during the running of the magnetic tape so that the axis of the element array is tilted toward the direction opposite to the magnetic tape running direction at the start of the magnetic tape running. In addition, in a case where the axis of the element array is tilted toward the direction opposite to the magnetic tape running direction at the start of magnetic tape running, the element array is not tilted during the running of the magnetic tape so that the axis of the element array is tilted toward the magnetic tape running direction at the start of the magnetic tape running.

In FIG. 3 , a central diagram shows a state of the module at the start of running.

In FIG. 3 , a right diagram shows a state of the module in a case where the angle θ is set to an angle θ_(c) which is a larger angle than the θ_(initial). The effective distance between the servo signal reading elements L cos θ_(c) is a value smaller than L cos θ_(initial) at the start of running of the magnetic tape. In a case where the width of the magnetic tape is contracted during the running of the magnetic tape, it is preferable to perform such angle adjustment.

On the other hand, in FIG. 3 , a left diagram shows a state of the module in a case where the angle θ is set to an angle θ_(e) which is a smaller angle than the θ_(initial). The effective distance between the servo signal reading elements L cos θ_(e) is a value larger than L cos θ_(initial) at the start of running of the magnetic tape. In a case where the width of the magnetic tape is expanded during the running of the magnetic tape, it is preferable to perform such angle adjustment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a method for measuring the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape. In the present invention and the present specification, the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape is obtained by the following method.

A phase difference (that is, time difference) ΔT of reproduction signals of the pair of servo signal reading elements 1 and 2 is measured. The measurement of ΔT can be performed by a measurement unit provided in the magnetic tape device. A configuration of such a measurement unit is well known. A distance L between a central portion of the servo signal reading element 1 and a central portion of the servo signal reading element 2 can be measured with an optical microscope or the like. In a case where a running speed of the magnetic tape is defined as a speed v, the distance in the magnetic tape running direction between the central portions of the two servo signal reading elements is set to L sin θ, and a relationship of L sin θ=v×ΔT is satisfied. Therefore, the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape can be calculated by a formula “θ=arc sin (vΔT/L)”. The right drawing of FIG. 4 shows an example in which the axis of the element array is tilted toward the magnetic tape running direction. In this example, the phase difference (that is, time difference) ΔT of a phase of the reproduction signal of the servo signal reading element 2 with respect to a phase of the reproduction signal of the servo signal reading element 1 is measured. In a case where the axis of the element array is tilted toward the direction opposite to the running direction of the magnetic tape, θ is obtained by the method described above, except for measuring ΔT as the phase difference (that is, time difference) of the phase of the reproduction signal of the servo signal reading element 1 with respect to the phase of the reproduction signal of the servo signal reading element 2.

For a measurement pitch of the angle θ, that is, a measurement interval of the angle θ in a tape longitudinal direction, a suitable pitch can be selected according to a frequency of tape width deformation in the tape longitudinal direction. As an example, the measurement pitch can be, for example, 250 μm, and the measurement pitch was set to 250 μm for examples and comparative examples which will be described later.

TC

“TC” in Equation 1 is a value (unit: μm) calculated by “TC=L{cos (θ_(initial)−Δθ)−cos (θ_(initial)+Δθ)}”. As described above, the present inventors consider that TC can be an indicator of a track position deviation amount allowed in a case of performing recording and/or reproducing of data by changing the head tilt angle (angle θ) during the running of the magnetic tape.

The L in Equation is as described above.

The θ_(initial) is the angle θ at the start of running, and is as described above.

The Δθ is a larger value among Δθ_(max) and Δθ_(min) which are calculated by the following equation, where a maximum value of the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape is defined as θ_(max) and a minimum value thereof is defined as θ_(min). Δθ_(max)=θ_(max)−θ_(initial) and Δθ_(min)=θ_(initial)−θ_(min).

The Δθ can be a maximum change amount of the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape. In addition, “max” is an abbreviation for maximum, and “min” is an abbreviation for minimum. The θ_(max) and the θ_(min) are the maximum and minimum values in the angles θ during the running of the magnetic tape obtained by the method described above. In one embodiment, the θ_(initial) can be the θ_(max) and the θ_(initial) can be the θ_(min). That is, during the running, the angle θ may be smaller than that at the start of running or may be larger than that at the start of running. The Δθ can be more than 0.000°, and is preferably 0.001° or more and more preferably 0.010° or more, from a viewpoint of adjustment ability for adjusting the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements according to the dimension change in the width direction of the magnetic tape. In addition, from a viewpoint of ease of ensuring synchronization of recorded data and/or reproduced data between a plurality of magnetic head elements during data recording and/or reproducing, the Δθ is preferably 1.000° or less, more preferably 0.900° or less, even more preferably 0.800° or less, still preferably 0.700° or less, and still more preferably 0.600° or less.

Regarding the TC, the magnetic tape device may satisfy Equation 1, and the value of TC is not particularly limited. In one embodiment, the TC can be, for example, more than 0 μm, 0.1 μm or more, 0.3 μm or more, or 0.5 μm or more, and can be, for example, 3.0 μm or less, 2.5 μm or less, 2.0 μm or less, or 1.5 μm or less.

Specific Examples of Magnetic Tape Device

FIG. 5 shows a specific example of the magnetic tape device.

A magnetic tape device 10 shown in FIG. 5 controls a recording and reproducing head unit 12 in accordance with a command from a control device 11 to record and reproduce data on a magnetic tape MT.

The magnetic tape device 10 has a configuration of detecting and adjusting a tension applied in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape from spindle motors 17A and 17B and driving devices 18A and 18B which rotatably control a magnetic tape cartridge reel and a winding reel.

The magnetic tape device 10 has a configuration in which the magnetic tape cartridge 13 can be mounted.

The magnetic tape device 10 includes a cartridge memory read and write device 14 capable of performing reading and writing with respect to the cartridge memory 131 in the magnetic tape cartridge 13.

An end portion or a leader pin of the magnetic tape MT is pulled out from the magnetic tape cartridge 13 mounted on the magnetic tape device 10 by an automatic loading mechanism or manually and passes on a recording and reproducing head through guide rollers 15A and 15B so that a surface of a magnetic layer of the magnetic tape MT comes into contact with a surface of the recording and reproducing head of the recording and reproducing head unit 12, and accordingly, the magnetic tape MT is wound around the winding reel 16.

The rotation and torque of the spindle motor 17A and the spindle motor 17B are controlled by a signal from the control device 11, and the magnetic tape MT runs at random speed and tension. A servo pattern previously formed on the magnetic tape can be used to control the tape speed and control the angle θ. A tension detection mechanism may be provided between the magnetic tape cartridge 13 and the winding reel 16 to detect the tension. The tension may be adjusted by using the guide rollers 15A and 15B in addition to the control by the spindle motors 17A and 17B.

The cartridge memory read and write device 14 is configured to be able to read and write information of the cartridge memory 131 according to commands from the control device 11. As a communication system between the cartridge memory read and write device 14 and the cartridge memory 131, for example, an international organization for standardization (ISO) 14443 system can be used.

The control device 11 includes, for example, a controller, a storage unit, a communication unit, and the like.

The recording and reproducing head unit 12 is composed of, for example, a recording and reproducing head, a servo tracking actuator for adjusting a position of the recording and reproducing head in a track width direction, a recording and reproducing amplifier 19, a connector cable for connecting to the control device 11. The recording and reproducing head is as described above for the magnetic head.

The recording and reproducing head unit 12 is configured to be able to record data on the magnetic tape MT according to a command from the control device 11. In addition, the data recorded on the magnetic tape MT can be reproduced according to a command from the control device 11.

The control device 11 has a mechanism of controlling the servo tracking actuator so as to obtain a running position of the magnetic tape from a servo signal read from a servo band during the running of the magnetic tape MT and position the recording element and/or the reproducing element at a target running position (track position). The control of the track position is performed by feedback control, for example. The control device 11 has a mechanism of obtaining a servo band spacing from servo signals read from two adjacent servo bands during the running of the magnetic tape MT. The control device 11 can store the obtained information of the servo band spacing in the storage unit inside the control device 11, the cartridge memory 131, an external connection device, and the like. In addition, the control device 11 changes the angle θ according to the dimensional information in the width direction of the magnetic tape during the running. Accordingly, it is possible to bring the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements closer to or match the spacing of the servo bands. The dimensional information can be obtained by using the servo pattern previously formed on the magnetic tape. The angle θ can be adjusted, for example, by feedback control. For example, the angle θ can be adjusted by a method which will be described in examples described later. Alternatively, the angle θ can also be adjusted by a method disclosed in JP2016-524774A or US2019/0164573A1.

For example, as described above, by using the control device 11 or the like, in the magnetic tape device, during the running of the magnetic tape, the angle θ can be adjusted variably in a case where the data is recorded on the magnetic tape and/or the data recorded on the magnetic tape is reproduced.

In a case of recording data and/or reproducing recorded data, first, tracking using a servo signal can be performed. That is, as the servo signal reading element follows a predetermined servo track, the magnetic head element can be controlled to pass on the target data track. The movement of the data track is performed by changing the servo track to be read by the servo signal reading element in the tape width direction.

In addition, the recording and reproducing head can perform the recording and/or reproducing with respect to other data bands. In this case, the servo signal reading element is moved to a predetermined servo band by using the UDIM information described above, and the tracking with respect to the servo band may be started.

FIG. 6 shows an example of disposition of data bands and servo bands. In FIG. 6 , a plurality of servo bands 1 are disposed to be interposed between guide bands 3 in a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape MT. A plurality of regions 2 each of which is interposed between two servo bands are data bands. The servo pattern is a magnetized region and is formed by magnetizing a specific region of the magnetic layer by a servo write head. The region magnetized by the servo write head (position where a servo pattern is formed) is determined by standards. For example, in an LTO Ultrium format tape which is based on a local standard, a plurality of servo patterns tilted in a tape width direction as shown in FIG. 7 are formed on a servo band, in a case of manufacturing a magnetic tape. Specifically, in FIG. 7 , a servo frame SF on the servo band 1 is configured with a servo sub-frame 1 (SSF1) and a servo sub-frame 2 (SSF2). The servo sub-frame 1 is configured with an A burst (in FIG. 7 , reference numeral A) and a B burst (in FIG. 7 , reference numeral B). The A burst is configured with servo patterns A1 to A5 and the B burst is configured with servo patterns B1 to B5. Meanwhile, the servo sub-frame 2 is configured with a C burst (in FIG. 7 , reference numeral C) and a D burst (in FIG. 7 , reference numeral D). The C burst is configured with servo patterns C1 to C4 and the D burst is configured with servo patterns D1 to D4. Such 18 servo patterns are disposed in the sub-frames in the arrangement of 5, 5, 4, 4, as the sets of 5 servo patterns and 4 servo patterns, and are used for recognizing the servo frames. FIG. 7 shows one servo frame for explaining. However, in practice, in the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape in which the head tracking servo in the timing-based servo system is performed, a plurality of servo frames are disposed in each servo band in a running direction. In FIG. 7 , an arrow shows the magnetic tape running direction. For example, an LTO Ultrium format tape generally includes 5,000 or more servo frames per a tape length of 1 m, in each servo band of the magnetic layer.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to examples. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the examples. “Parts” and “%” in the following description mean “parts by mass” and “% by mass”, unless otherwise noted. “eq” indicates equivalent and a unit not convertible into SI unit.

In addition, various steps and operations described below were performed in an environment of a temperature of 20° C. to 25° C. and a relative humidity of 40% to 60%, unless otherwise noted.

In Table 1, “PEN” indicates a polyethylene naphthalate support and “PET” indicates a polyethylene terephthalate support. The moisture content and the Young's modulus in Table 1 is a value measured by the method described above.

Example 1

(1) Preparation of Alumina Dispersion

3.0 parts of 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), 31.3 parts of a 32% solution (solvent is a mixed solvent of methyl ethyl ketone and toluene) of a polyester polyurethane resin including a SO₃Na group as a polar group (UR-4800 manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. (polar group amount: 80 meq/kg)), and 570.0 parts of a mixed solution of methyl ethyl ketone and cyclohexanone (mass ratio of 1:1) as a solvent were mixed with 100.0 parts of alumina powder (HIT-80 manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) having a gelatinization ratio of 65% and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area of 20 m²/g, and dispersed in the presence of zirconia beads by a paint shaker for 5 hours. After the dispersion, the dispersion liquid and the beads were separated by a mesh and an alumina dispersion was obtained.

(2) Magnetic Layer Forming Composition List

(Magnetic liquid)

Ferromagnetic powder: 100.0 parts

Hexagonal barium ferrite powder having average particle size (average plate diameter) of 21 nm (in Table 1, “BaFe”)

SO₃Na group-containing polyurethane resin: 14.0 parts

Weight-average molecular weight: 70,000, SO₃Na group: 0.2 meq/g

Cyclohexanone: 150.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 150.0 parts

Abrasive Solution

Alumina dispersion prepared in the section (1): 6.0 parts

Silica Sol (Projection Formation Agent Liquid)

Colloidal silica (average particle size: 120 nm): 2.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 1.4 parts

Other Components

Stearic acid: 2.0 parts

Stearic acid amide: 0.2 parts

Butyl stearate: 2.0 parts

Polyisocyanate (CORONATE (registered product) L manufactured by Tosoh Corporation): 2.5 parts

Finishing Additive Solvent

Cyclohexanone: 200.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 200.0 parts

(3) Non-Magnetic Layer Forming Composition List

Non-magnetic inorganic powder: α-iron oxide: 100.0 parts

Average particle size (average major axis length): 0.15 μm

Average acicular ratio: 7

BET specific surface area: 52 m²/g

Carbon black: 20.0 parts

Average particle size: 20 nm

SO₃Na group-containing polyurethane resin: 18.0 parts

Weight-average molecular weight: 70,000, SO₃Na group: 0.2 meq/g

Stearic acid: 2.0 parts

Stearic acid amide: 0.2 parts

Butyl stearate: 2.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 300.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 300.0 parts

(4) Back Coating Layer Forming Composition List

Carbon black: 100.0 parts

DBP (Dibutyl phthalate) oil absorption: 74 cm³/100 g

Nitrocellulose: 27.0 parts

Polyester polyurethane resin including sulfonic acid group and/or salt thereof: 62.0 parts

Polyester resin: 4.0 parts

Alumina powder (BET specific surface area: 17 m²/g): 0.6 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 600.0 parts

Toluene: 600.0 parts

Polyisocyanate (CORONATE (registered product) L manufactured by Tosoh Corporation): 15.0 parts

(5) Preparation of Each Layer Forming Composition

The magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by the following method. The magnetic liquid was prepared by dispersing (beads-dispersing) the component by using a batch type vertical sand mill for 24 hours. As dispersion beads, zirconia beads having a bead diameter of 0.5 mm were used. The prepared magnetic liquid, the abrasive solution, and other components (silica sol, other components, and finishing additive solvent) were mixed with each other and beads-dispersed for 5 minutes by using the sand mill, and the treatment (ultrasonic dispersion) was performed with a batch type ultrasonic device (20 kHz, 300 W) for 0.5 minutes. After that, the obtained mixed solution was filtered by using a filter having a hole diameter of 0.5 μm, and the magnetic layer forming composition was prepared.

The non-magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by the following method. The components described above excluding the lubricant (stearic acid, stearic acid amide, and butyl stearate) were kneaded and diluted by an open kneader, and subjected to a dispersion process with a transverse beads mill disperser. After that, the lubricant (stearic acid, stearic acid amide, and butyl stearate) was added, and stirred and mixed with a dissolver stirrer, and a non-magnetic layer forming composition was prepared.

The back coating layer forming composition was prepared by the following method. The components excluding polyisocyanate were introduced in a dissolver stirrer and stirred at a circumferential speed of 10 m/sec for 30 minutes, and the dispersion process was performed with a transverse beads mill disperser. After that, polyisocyanate was added, and stirred and mixed with a dissolver stirrer, and a back coating layer forming composition was prepared.

(6) Manufacturing Method of Magnetic Tape and Magnetic Tape Cartridge

The non-magnetic layer forming composition prepared in the section (5) was applied to a surface of a biaxial stretched support having the kind and thickness shown in Table 1 so that the thickness after the drying becomes 1.0 μm and was dried to form a non-magnetic layer. Then, the magnetic layer forming composition prepared in the section (5) described above was applied onto the non-magnetic layer so that the thickness after the drying is 0.1 μm, and a coating layer was formed. After that, a homeotropic alignment process was performed by applying a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength of 0.3 T in a vertical direction with respect to a surface of a coating layer, while the coating layer of the magnetic layer forming composition is not dried. Then, the drying was performed to form the magnetic layer. After that, the back coating layer forming composition prepared in the section (5) described above was applied to the surface of the support made of polyethylene naphthalate on a side opposite to the surface where the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer were formed, so that the thickness after the drying becomes 0.5 μm, and was dried to form a back coating layer.

After that, a surface smoothing treatment (calender process) was performed by using a calender roll configured of only a metal roll, at a speed of 100 m/min, linear pressure of 300 kg/cm, and a calender temperature (surface temperature of a calender roll) of 90° C.

Then, the heat treatment was performed by storing the long magnetic tape raw material in a heat treatment furnace at the atmosphere temperature of 70° C. (heat treatment time: 36 hours). After the heat treatment, the magnetic tape was obtained by slitting to have a width of ½ inches. By recording a servo signal on a magnetic layer of the obtained magnetic tape with a commercially available servo writer, and including a servo pattern (timing-based servo pattern) having the disposition and shape according to the linear tape-open (LTO) Ultrium format on the servo band was obtained.

Accordingly, a magnetic tape including data bands, servo bands, and guide bands in the disposition according to the LTO Ultrium format in the magnetic layer, and including servo patterns (timing-based servo pattern) having the disposition and the shape according to the LTO Ultrium format on the servo band was obtained. The servo pattern formed by doing so is a servo pattern disclosed in Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) X6175:2006 and Standard ECMA-319 (June 2001).

The total number of servo bands is five, and the total number of data bands is four.

The magnetic tape (length of 970 m) after the servo pattern formation was wound around the winding core for heat treatment, and the heat treatment was performed in a state of being wound around this winding core. As the core for heat treatment, a solid core member (outer diameter: 50 mm) formed of a resin and having 0.8 GPa of a bending elastic modulus was used, and the tension in a case of the winding was set as 0.6 N. The heat treatment was performed at the heat treatment temperature shown in Table 1 for 5 hours. The weight absolute humidity in the atmosphere in which the heat treatment was performed was 10 g/kg Dry air.

After the heat treatment, the magnetic tape and the core for heat treatment were sufficiently cooled, the magnetic tape was detached from the core for heat treatment and wound around the core for temporary winding, and then, the magnetic tape having the final product length (960 m) was wound around the reel (reel outer diameter: 44 mm) of the magnetic tape cartridge (LTO Ultrium 7 data cartridge) from the core for temporary winding. The remaining length of 10 m was cut out and the leader tape based on section 9 of Standard European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA)-319 (June 2001) Section 3 was bonded to the end of the cut side by using a commercially available splicing tape.

As the core for temporary winding, a solid core member having the same outer diameter and formed of the same material as the core for heat treatment was used, and the tension at the time of winding was set as 0.6 N.

As described above, a single reel type magnetic tape cartridge in which a magnetic tape having a length of 960 m was wound around a reel was manufactured.

Two magnetic tape cartridges were manufactured by the method described above, one was used for the following (1) to (3) and the other was used for the following (4) and (5).

Evaluation Method

(1) TDSage

The magnetic tape cartridge in which the magnetic tape to be measured is accommodated was placed in an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C. and relative humidity of 50% for 5 days in make it familiar with a measurement environment.

After that, in the measurement environment, in the magnetic tape device shown in FIG. 5 , the magnetic tape was allowed to run in a state where a tension of 0.7 N was applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. For such running, the spacing between two servo bands adjacent to each other with a data band interposed therebetween was measured at spacing of 1 m over the entire length of the magnetic tape. The measurement was made for all servo band spacings. The servo band spacing measured in this way was referred to as a “servo band spacing before storage” at each measurement position. The spacing between two servo bands adjacent to each other with the data band interposed therebetween was calculated as follows.

In order to obtain the spacing between two servo bands adjacent to each other with the data band interposed therebetween, the dimensions of the servo pattern are required. The standard of the dimension of the servo pattern varies depending on generation of LTO. Therefore, first, an average distance AC between the corresponding four stripes of the A burst and the C burst and an azimuth angle α of the servo pattern are measured using a magnetic force microscope or the like.

Next, the servo pattern formed on the magnetic tape is read sequentially along the tape longitudinal direction by using a reel tester and a servo head including two servo signal reading elements fixed in the spacing in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape (hereinafter, one is referred to as an upper side and the other one is referred to as a lower side). An average time between 5 stripes corresponding to the A burst and the B burst over the length of 1 LPOS word is defined as a. An average time between 4 stripes corresponding to the A burst and the C burst over the length of 1 m is defined as b. At this time, the value defined by AC×(½−a/b)/(2×tan(α)) represents a reading position PES in the width direction based on the servo signal obtained by the servo signal reading element. The reading of the servo pattern is simultaneously performed by the two upper side and lower side servo signal reading elements. The value of the PES obtained by the upper side servo signal reading element is set as PES1, and the value of the PES obtained by the lower side servo signal reading element is set as PES2. As “PES2−PES1”, the spacing between two servo bands adjacent to each other with the data band interposed therebetween can be obtained. This is because the upper side and lower side servo pattern reading elements are fixed to the servo head and their spacings do not change.

After that, the magnetic tape cartridge was stored for 24 hours in a storage environment of an atmosphere temperature of 60° C. and a relative humidity of 20%.

After the storage, after the magnetic tape cartridge was left in the measurement environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% for 5 days, in the same measurement environment, in a magnetic tape device shown in FIG. 5 , the magnetic tape was allowed to run in a state where a tension of 0.7 N is applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. For such running, the servo band spacing was measured by the method described above. The servo band spacing measured in this way was referred to as a “servo band spacing after storage” at each measurement position.

For the all servo band spacing, a difference between the servo band spacing before the storage and the servo band spacing after the storage measured at spacing of 1 m was obtained. By doing so, a plurality of difference values are obtained. A maximum value of an absolute value of the obtained difference was defined as the “TDSage” of the magnetic tape to be measured.

(2) TDSenv

In the five environments (temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 20%, temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 80%, temperature of 26° C. and relative humidity of 80%, temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 20%, and temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 55%), the measurement was performed by the following method.

In each measurement environment, the magnetic tape cartridge accommodating a magnetic tape cartridge to be measured was placed in the measurement environment for 5 days in order to make it familiar with the environment for measurement.

After that, in the measurement environment, in the magnetic tape device shown in FIG. 5 , the magnetic tape was allowed to run in a state where a tension of 0.7 N was applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. The servo band spacing was measured by the method described in the section (1) in the data band 0 (zero) for the running at 1 m spacing in region having a reel outer periphery of 100 m. As described above, an arithmetic mean of the measured servo band spacings was the servo band spacing in the measurement environment.

After obtaining the servo band spacing in each of the five environments as described above, a value calculated as “(maximum value−minimum value)×½” using the maximum value and the minimum value among the obtained values was defined as “TDSenv” of the magnetic tape to be measured.

(3) Tape Thickness

The magnetic tape cartridge after the evaluation was placed in an environment with a temperature of 20° C. to 25° C. and a relative humidity of 40% to 60% for 5 days or longer to make it familiar with the environment. Then, subsequently, in the same environment, 10 tape samples (length: 5 cm) were cut out from any part of the magnetic tape taken out from the magnetic tape cartridge, and these tape samples were stacked to measure the thickness. The thickness was measured using a digital thickness gauge of a Millimar 1240 compact amplifier manufactured by MARH and a Millimar 1301 induction probe. The value (thickness per tape sample) obtained by calculating 1/10 of the measured thickness was defined as the tape thickness. For the magnetic tape, the tape thickness was as shown in Table 1.

(4) Recording and Reproducing Performance

The evaluation of the recording and reproducing performance was performed using the magnetic tape device having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 . The arrangement order of the modules included in the recording and reproducing head mounted on the recording and reproducing head unit is “recording module-reproducing module-recording module” (total number of modules: 3). The number of magnetic head elements in each module is 32 (Ch0 to Ch31), and the element array is configured by sandwiching these magnetic head elements between the pair of servo signal reading elements. The reproducing element width of the reproducing element included in the reproducing module is 0.8 μm.

The magnetic tape cartridge was placed for 5 days in the environment in which the servo band spacing obtained in the measurement for obtaining the TDSenv was the maximum value among the five environments. After making it familiar with the environment, the data was recorded as described below subsequently in the same environment.

The magnetic tape cartridge was set in the magnetic tape device and the magnetic tape was loaded. Next, while performing servo tracking, the recording and reproducing head unit records pseudo random data having a specific data pattern on the magnetic tape. The tension applied in the tape longitudinal direction at that time is 0.7 N. Regarding the recording and reproducing head (magnetic head), at the start of the recording and at the start of reproducing, the axis of the element array is tilted toward the magnetic tape running direction, and the angle θ is an angle shown in a column of “θ_(initial)” in Table 1. In the data recording, the recording is performed three or more times so that a difference of values of (PES1+PES2)/2 between adjacent tracks is 1.16 μm. At that time, the angle θ is changed by the control device of the magnetic tape device so that a difference between the effective distance between the servo signal reading elements of one servo signal reading element and the other servo signal reading element of the element array of the reproducing module of the recording and reproducing head, and “PES2−PES1” corresponding to two adjacent servo band spacings with the data band interposed therebetween decreases. At the same time with the recording of the data, the value of the servo band spacing of the entire tape length was measured every 1 m of the longitudinal position and recorded in the cartridge memory.

The magnetic tape cartridge which recorded the data as described above was placed for 24 hours in a storage environment with an atmosphere temperature of 60° C. and a relative humidity of 20%.

After that, the magnetic tape cartridge was placed for 5 days in the environment in which the servo band spacing obtained in the measurement for obtaining the TDSenv was the minimum value among the five environments. After making it familiar with the environment, the data was reproduced as described below subsequently in the same environment.

The magnetic tape cartridge was set in the magnetic tape device and the magnetic tape was loaded. Next, while performing servo tracking, the recording and reproducing head unit reproduces the data recorded on the magnetic tape. At that time, the value of the servo band spacing was measured at the same time as the reproducing, and the angle θ was changed by the control device of the magnetic tape device so that an absolute value of a difference from the servo band spacing during the recording at the same longitudinal position approaches 0 based on the information recorded in the cartridge memory. During the reproducing, the measurement of the servo band spacing and the adjustment of the angle θ based on it are continuously performed in real time.

The number of reproducing elements (number of channels) in the reproducing described above is 32 channels. In a case where all the data of 32 channels were correctly read during the reproducing, the recording and reproducing performance is evaluated as “3”, in a case where data of 31 to 28 channels were correctly read, the recording and reproducing performance is evaluated as “2”, and in other cases, the recording and reproducing performance is evaluated as “1”.

(5) TC

For the reproducing described in the section (4), the angle θ was obtained for the reproducing module by the method described above. The Δθ was calculated from the obtained value, and the TC was calculated by “TC=L {cos (θ_(initial)−Δθ)−cos (θ_(initial)+Δθ)}”. In the reproducing module included in the recording and reproducing head, the L was 2859 μm.

From the various values obtained as described above, the left side of Equation 1 (that is, “TDSage+TDSenv−TC”) was calculated.

Examples 2 to 24 and Comparative Examples 1 to 16

A magnetic tape cartridge was manufactured and various evaluations were performed by the method described in Example 1, except that the items in Table 1 were changed as shown in Table 1.

In the examples and the comparative examples in which “−” is described in the column of “heat treatment temperature” in Table 1, the magnetic tape having a final product length of 960 m was accommodated in the magnetic tape cartridge, without performing the heat treatment in a state of being wound around the winding core for heat treatment.

In Table 1, in the comparative examples in which “none” is described in the columns of “θ_(initial)” and “Δθ”, the angle θ was 0° at the start of running of the magnetic tape and during the running.

Example 25

A magnetic tape cartridge was manufactured and various evaluations were performed by the method described in Example 8, except that the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder (“SrFe1” in Table 1) manufactured as described below was used as the ferromagnetic powder.

1,707 g of SrCO₃, 687 g of H₃BO₃, 1,120 g of Fe₂O₃, 45 g of Al(OH)₃, 24 g of BaCO₃, 13 g of CaCO₃, and 235 g of Nd₂O₃ were weighed and mixed in a mixer to obtain a raw material mixture.

The obtained raw material mixture was dissolved in a platinum crucible at a melting temperature of 1,390° C., and a tap hole provided on the bottom of the platinum crucible was heated while stirring the melt, and the melt was tapped in a rod shape at approximately 6 g/sec. The tap liquid was rolled and cooled with a water cooling twin roller to prepare an amorphous body.

280 g of the prepared amorphous body was put into an electronic furnace, heated to 635° C. (crystallization temperature) at a rate of temperature rise of 3.5° C./min, and held at the same temperature for 5 hours, and hexagonal strontium ferrite particles were precipitated (crystallized).

Then, the crystallized material obtained as described above including the hexagonal strontium ferrite particles was coarse-pulverized with a mortar, 1,000 g of zirconia beads having a particle diameter of 1 mm, and 800 mL of an acetic acid aqueous solution having a concentration of 1% were added to a glass bottle, and a dispersion process was performed in a paint shaker for 3 hours. After that, the obtained dispersion liquid and the beads were separated and put in a stainless still beaker. The dispersion liquid was left at a liquid temperature of 100° C. for 3 hours, subjected to a dissolving process of a glass component, precipitated with a centrifugal separator, decantation was repeated for cleaning, and drying was performed in a heating furnace at a furnace inner temperature of 110° C. for 6 hours, to obtain hexagonal strontium ferrite powder.

Regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder obtained as described above, an average particle size was 18 nm, an activation volume was 902 nm³, an anisotropy constant Ku was 2.2×10⁵ J/m³, and a mass magnetization σs was 49 A×m²/kg.

12 mg of a sample powder was collected from the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder obtained as described above, the element analysis of a filtrate obtained by the partial dissolving of this sample powder under the dissolving conditions described above was performed by the ICP analysis device, and a surface layer portion content of a neodymium atom was obtained.

Separately, 12 mg of a sample powder was collected from the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder obtained as described above, the element analysis of a filtrate obtained by the total dissolving of this sample powder under the dissolving conditions described above was performed by the ICP analysis device, and a bulk content of a neodymium atom was obtained.

The content (bulk content) of the neodymium atom in the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder obtained as described above with respect to 100 atom % of iron atom was 2.9 atom %. In addition, the surface layer portion content of the neodymium atom was 8.0 atom %. A ratio of the surface layer portion content and the bulk content, “surface layer portion content/bulk content” was 2.8 and it was confirmed that the neodymium atom is unevenly distributed on the surface layer of the particles.

A crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite shown by the powder obtained as described above was confirmed by scanning CuKα ray under the conditions of a voltage of 45 kV and intensity of 40 mA and measuring an X-ray diffraction pattern under the following conditions (X-ray diffraction analysis). The powder obtained as described above showed a crystal structure of magnetoplumbite type (M type) hexagonal ferrite. In addition, a crystal phase detected by the X-ray diffraction analysis was a magnetoplumbite type single phase.

PANalytical X'Pert Pro diffractometer, PIXcel detector

Soller slit of incident beam and diffraction beam: 0.017 radians

Fixed angle of dispersion slit: ¼ degrees

Mask: 10 mm

Scattering prevention slit: ¼ degrees

Measurement mode: continuous

Measurement time per 1 stage: 3 seconds

Measurement speed: 0.017 degrees per second

Measurement step: 0.05 degree

Example 26

A magnetic tape cartridge was manufactured and various evaluations were performed by the method described in Example 8, except that the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder (“SrFe2” in Table 1) manufactured as described below was used as the ferromagnetic powder.

1,725 g of SrCO₃, 666 g of H₃BO₃, 1,332 g of Fe₂O₃, 52 g of Al(OH)₃, 34 g of CaCO₃, and 141 g of BaCO₃ were weighed and mixed in a mixer to obtain a raw material mixture.

The obtained raw material mixture was dissolved in a platinum crucible at a melting temperature of 1,380° C., and a tap hole provided on the bottom of the platinum crucible was heated while stirring the melt, and the melt was tapped in a rod shape at approximately 6 g/sec. The tap liquid was rolled and cooled with a water cooling twin roller to prepare an amorphous body.

280 g of the obtained amorphous body was put into an electronic furnace, heated to 645° C. (crystallization temperature), and held at the same temperature for 5 hours, and hexagonal strontium ferrite particles were precipitated (crystallized).

Then, the crystallized material obtained as described above including the hexagonal strontium ferrite particles was coarse-pulverized with a mortar, 1,000 g of zirconia beads having a particle diameter of 1 mm, and 800 mL of an acetic acid aqueous solution having a concentration of 1% were added to a glass bottle, and a dispersion process was performed in a paint shaker for 3 hours. After that, the obtained dispersion liquid and the beads were separated and put in a stainless still beaker. The dispersion liquid was left at a liquid temperature of 100° C. for 3 hours, subjected to a dissolving process of a glass component, precipitated with a centrifugal separator, decantation was repeated for cleaning, and drying was performed in a heating furnace at a furnace inner temperature of 110° C. for 6 hours, to obtain hexagonal strontium ferrite powder.

Regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder obtained as described above, an average particle size was 19 nm, an activation volume was 1,102 nm³, an anisotropy constant Ku was 2.0×10⁵ J/m³, and a mass magnetization σs was 50 A×m²/kg.

Example 27

A magnetic tape cartridge was manufactured and various evaluations were performed by the method described in Example 8, except that ε-iron oxide powder (“ε-iron oxide” in Table 1) manufactured as described below was used as the ferromagnetic powder.

4.0 g of ammonia aqueous solution having a concentration of 25% was added to a material obtained by dissolving 8.3 g of iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate, 1.3 g of gallium (III) nitrate octahydrate, 190 mg of cobalt (II) nitrate hexahydrate, 150 mg of titanium (IV) sulfate, and 1.5 g of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) in 90 g of pure water, while stirring by using a magnetic stirrer, in an atmosphere under the conditions of an atmosphere temperature of 25° C., and the mixture was stirred for 2 hours still under the temperature condition of the atmosphere temperature of 25° C. A citric acid solution obtained by dissolving 1 g of citric acid in 9 g of pure water was added to the obtained solution and stirred for 1 hour. The powder precipitated after the stirring was collected by centrifugal separation, washed with pure water, and dried in a heating furnace at a furnace inner temperature of 80° C.

800 g of pure water was added to the dried powder and the powder was dispersed in water again, to obtain a dispersion liquid. The obtained dispersion liquid was heated to a liquid temperature of 50° C., and 40 g of ammonia aqueous solution having a concentration of 25% was added dropwise while stirring. The stirring was performed for 1 hour while holding the temperature of 50° C., and 14 mL of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was added dropwise and stirred for 24 hours. 50 g of ammonium sulfate was added to the obtained reaction solution, the precipitated powder was collected by centrifugal separation, washed with pure water, and dried in a heating furnace at a furnace inner temperature of 80° C. for 24 hours, and a precursor of ferromagnetic powder was obtained.

The heating furnace at a furnace inner temperature of 1,000° C. was filled with the obtained precursor of ferromagnetic powder in the atmosphere and subjected to heat treatment for 4 hours.

The heat-treated precursor of ferromagnetic powder was put into sodium hydroxide (NaOH) aqueous solution having a concentration of 4 mol/L, the liquid temperature was held at 70° C., stirring was performed for 24 hours, and accordingly, a silicon acid compound which was an impurity was removed from the heat-treated precursor of ferromagnetic powder.

After that, by the centrifugal separation process, ferromagnetic powder obtained by removing the silicon acid compound was collected and washed with pure water, and ferromagnetic powder was obtained.

The composition of the obtained ferromagnetic powder was confirmed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), and Ga, Co, and Ti substitution type ε-iron oxide (ε-Ga_(0.28)Co_(0.05)Ti_(0.05)Fe_(1.62)O₃) was obtained. In addition, the X-ray diffraction analysis was performed under the same conditions as the conditions described regarding the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder SrFe1 in advance, and it was confirmed that the obtained ferromagnetic powder has a crystal structure of a single phase which is an ε phase not including a crystal structure of an α phase and a γ phase (ε-iron oxide type crystal structure) from the peak of the X-ray diffraction pattern.

Regarding the obtained (ε-iron oxide powder, an average particle size was 12 nm, an activation volume was 746 nm³, an anisotropy constant Ku was 1.2×10⁵ J/m³, and a mass magnetization σs was 16 A×m²/kg.

The activation volume and the anisotropy constant Ku of the hexagonal strontium ferrite powder and the ε-iron oxide powder are values obtained by the method described above regarding each ferromagnetic powder by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter (manufactured by Toei Industry Co., Ltd.).

In addition, the mass magnetization σs is a value measured at the magnetic field strength of 1,194 kA/m (15 kOe) by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter (manufactured by Toei Industry Co., Ltd.).

The result described above is shown in Table 1 (Tables 1-1 and 1-2).

TABLE 1-1 (a) Young's (b) Young's modulus in modulus in Heat Moisture width longitudinal Ferromagnetic treatment Kind of Thickness content of direction of direction of Item powder temperature TDSage support of support support support support (B) − (A) Unit ° C. μm μm % MPa MPa MPa Example 1 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 2 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 3 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 4 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 5 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 6 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 7 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 8 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 9 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 10 BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 11 BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 0.1% 5000 6000 1000 Example 12 BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 0.1% 5000 6000 1000 Example 13 BaFe — 1.00 PEN 3.6 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 14 BaFe — 1.00 PEN 3.6 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 15 BaFe 70 0.60 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 16 BaFe 70 0.60 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 17 BaFe 60 0.60 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 18 BaFe 60 0.60 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 19 BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.1% 6000 8000 2000 Example 20 BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.1% 6000 8000 2000 Example 21 BaFe — 0.90 PET 3.6 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 22 BaFe — 0.90 PET 3.6 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 23 BaFe 70 0.50 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 24 BaFe 70 0.50 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 25 SrFe1 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 26 SrFe2 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 27 ε-iron oxide 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Recording and Ferromagnetic Thickness TDSage + reproducing Item powder TDSenv of tape θ_(initial) Δθ TC TDSenv − TC performance Unit μm μm ° ° μm μm Example 1 BaFe 0.50 5.6 1.000 0.500 1.1 0.10 2 Example 2 BaFe 0.50 5.6 6.000 0.100 1.1 0.10 2 Example 3 BaFe 0.50 5.6 13.000 0.050 1.1 0.10 2 Example 4 BaFe 0.50 5.6 33.000 0.020 1.1 0.10 2 Example 5 BaFe 0.50 5.6 45.000 0.015 1.1 0.10 2 Example 6 BaFe 0.50 5.6 1.000 0.550 1.2 0.00 3 Example 7 BaFe 0.50 5.6 6.000 0.120 1.2 0.00 3 Example 8 BaFe 0.50 5.6 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.00 3 Example 9 BaFe 0.50 5.6 33.000 0.022 1.2 0.00 3 Example 10 BaFe 0.50 5.6 45.000 0.017 1.2 0.00 3 Example 11 BaFe 0.30 5.6 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.10 2 Example 12 BaFe 0.30 5.6 15.000 0.050 1.3 0.00 3 Example 13 BaFe 0.50 5.2 28.000 0.030 1.4 0.10 2 Example 14 BaFe 0.50 5.2 30.000 0.030 1.5 0.00 3 Example 15 BaFe 0.50 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.10 2 Example 16 BaFe 0.50 5.6 6.000 0.100 1.1 0.00 3 Example 17 BaFe 0.40 5.6 9.000 0.057 0.9 0.10 2 Example 18 BaFe 0.40 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.00 3 Example 19 BaFe 0.20 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.10 2 Example 20 BaFe 0.20 5.6 6.000 0.100 1.1 0.00 3 Example 21 BaFe 0.40 5.2 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.10 2 Example 22 BaFe 0.40 5.2 15.000 0.050 1.3 0.00 3 Example 23 BaFe 0.40 5.6 8.000 0.057 0.8 0.10 2 Example 24 BaFe 0.40 5.6 9.000 0.057 0.9 0.00 3 Example 25 SrFe1 0.50 5.6 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.00 3 Example 26 SrFe2 0.50 5.6 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.00 3 Example 27 ε-iron oxide 0.50 5.6 13.000 0.053 1.2 0.00 3

TABLE 1-2 (a) Young's (b) Young's modulus in modulus in Heat Moisture width longitudinal Ferromagnetic treatment Kind of Thickness content of direction of direction of Item powder temperature TDSage support of support support support support (B) − (A) Unit ° C. μm μm % MPa MPa MPa Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 1 Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 2 Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 3 Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 4 Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 4.0 0.1% 5000 6000 1000 Example 5 Comparative BaFe — 1.00 PEN 3.6 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 6 Comparative BaFe 70 0.60 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 7 Comparative BaFe 60 0.70 PEN 4.0 1.0% 5000 6000 1000 Example 8 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 9 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 10 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 11 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 12 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 13 Comparative BaFe — 0.90 PET 3.6 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 14 Comparative BaFe 70 0.50 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 15 Comparative BaFe 70 0.50 PET 4.0 0.8% 6000 8000 2000 Example 16 Recording and Ferromagnetic Thickness TDSage + reproducing Item powder TDSenv of tape θ_(initial) Δθ TC TDSenv − TC performance Unit μm μm ° ° μm μm Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 None None 0.0 1.50 1 Example 1 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 5.000 0.057 0.5 1.00 1 Example 2 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 7.000 0.057 0.7 0.80 1 Example 3 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 15.000  0.050 1.3 0.20 1 Example 4 Comparative BaFe 0.30 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.30 1 Example 5 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.2 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.50 1 Example 6 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 8.000 0.057 0.8 0.30 1 Example 7 Comparative BaFe 0.50 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.20 1 Example 8 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 None None 0.0 1.30 1 Example 9 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 5.000 0.057 0.5 0.80 1 Example 10 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 7.000 0.057 0.7 0.60 1 Example 11 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.30 1 Example 12 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 6.000 0.100 1.1 0.20 1 Example 13 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.2 7.000 0.080 1.0 0.30 1 Example 14 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 5.000 0.057 0.5 0.40 1 Example 15 Comparative BaFe 0.40 5.6 7.000 0.057 0.7 0.20 1 Example 16

A magnetic tape cartridge was manufactured by the method described above as in Example 1 except that the homeotropic alignment process was not performed in a case of manufacturing the magnetic tape.

A sample piece was cut out from the magnetic tape taken out from the magnetic tape cartridge. For this sample piece, a vertical squareness ratio SQ was obtained by the method described above using a TM-TRVSM5050-SMSL type manufactured by Tamagawa Seisakusho Co., Ltd. as an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter and it was 0.55.

The magnetic tape was also taken out from the magnetic tape cartridge of Example 1, and the vertical squareness ratio was obtained in the same manner for the sample piece cut out from the magnetic tape, and it was 0.60.

The magnetic tapes taken out from the above two magnetic tape cartridges were attached to each of the ½-inch reel testers, and the electromagnetic conversion characteristics (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)) were evaluated by the following methods. As a result, regarding the magnetic tape taken out from the magnetic tape cartridge of Example 1, a value of SNR 2 dB higher than that of the magnetic tape manufactured without the homeotropic alignment process was obtained.

In an environment of a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50%, a tension of 0.7 N was applied in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, and recording and reproduction were performed for 10 passes. A relative speed of the magnetic head and the magnetic tape was set as 6 m/sec. The recording was performed by using a metal-in-gap (MIG) head (gap length of 0.15 μm, track width of 1.0 μm) as the recording head and by setting a recording current as an optimal recording current of each magnetic tape. The reproduction was performed using a giant-magnetoresistive (GMR) head (element thickness of 15 nm, shield interval of 0.1 μm, reproducing element width of 0.8 μm) as the reproduction head. A signal having a linear recording density of 300 kfci was recorded, and the reproduction signal was measured with a spectrum analyzer manufactured by ShibaSoku Co., Ltd. In addition, the unit kfci is a unit of linear recording density (cannot be converted to SI unit system). As the signal, a sufficiently stabilized portion of the signal after starting the running of the magnetic tape was used.

One embodiment of the invention is advantageous in a technical field of various data storages. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic tape device comprising: a magnetic tape; and a magnetic head, wherein the magnetic head includes a module including an element array including a plurality of magnetic head elements between a pair of servo signal reading elements, the magnetic tape device changes an angle θ formed by an axis of the element array with respect to a width direction of the magnetic tape during running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder, the magnetic layer includes a plurality of servo bands, Equation 1 below is satisfied, TDSage+TDSenv−TC≤0.10 μm,  (Equation 1) in Equation 1, the TDSage is a maximum value of an absolute value of a difference between a servo band spacing obtained before storage for 24 hours in an environment of a temperature 60° C. and relative humidity of 20% and a servo band spacing obtained after the storage, and a unit is μm, the TDSenv is a value calculated by multiplying a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of servo band spacings obtained in each of the following five environments of a temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 20%, a temperature of 16° C. and relative humidity of 80%, a temperature of 26° C. and relative humidity of 80%, a temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 20%, and a temperature of 32° C. and relative humidity of 55%, by ½, and a unit is μm, and the TC is a value calculated by TC=L{cos(θ_(initial)−Δθ)−cos(θ_(initial)+Δθ)}, a unit is μm, the L is a distance between the pair of servo signal reading elements and a unit is μm, and in a case where the angle θ at start of the running of the magnetic tape is defined as θ_(initial), a maximum value of the angle θ during the running of the magnetic tape is defined as θ_(max), and a minimum value thereof is defined as θ_(min), and the Δθ is a greater value between values calculated by Δθ_(max)=θ_(max)−θ_(initial) and Δθ_(min)=θ_(initial)−θ_(min).
 2. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the θ_(initial) is 1.000° to 45.000°.
 3. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the Δθ is more than 0.000° and 1.000° or less.
 4. The magnetic tape device according to claim 2 wherein the Δθ is more than 0.000° and 1.000° or less.
 5. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the angle θ formed by the axis of the element array with respect to the width direction of the magnetic tape during the running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device is changed according to dimensional information of the magnetic tape in the width direction obtained during the running.
 6. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape has a tape thickness of 5.6 μm or less.
 7. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape has a tape thickness of 5.3 μm or less.
 8. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape further includes a non-magnetic layer including a non-magnetic powder between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer.
 9. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape further includes a back coating layer including a non-magnetic powder on a surface side of the non-magnetic support opposite to a surface side on which the magnetic layer is provided.
 10. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic support is an aromatic polyester support.
 11. The magnetic tape device according to claim 10, wherein the aromatic polyester support is a polyethylene terephthalate support.
 12. The magnetic tape device according to claim 10, wherein the aromatic polyester support is a polyethylene naphthalate support.
 13. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein a vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.60 or more.
 14. The magnetic tape device according to claim 4, wherein a vertical squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.60 or more. 